A New Life
by Mandar
Summary: Set after S3x22 when Elena wakes up... Her life is about to change drastically, and although she chose Stefan as a human her choice is going to be even harder as a vampire. The dynamics between Stefan, Damon and Elena are going to change. Caroline will have to fight for her love, Jeremy's going to try to find peace of his own, and Bonnie's going to relish in the dark side of magic.
1. Just Breathe

**- This is my first published fan fiction, I've wrote others before but always on paper and never actually gave them to anyone to read! Please review and let me know what I'm doing right or wrong. This is set after the last episode from Season 3 when Elena is lying on the morgue table. I'm a big wish-fulfillment writer and unfortunately for you Stelena fans I have a huge crush on Damon Salvatore, so you've been warned (although I am going to keep with the whole love triangle thing and not turn Damon into a gushing heartfelt hero because I kind of like his bad-assery mixed with his heart to hearts). -**

**I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.  
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**Elena's POV**

I've been in the cold and dark for so long. It's like someone turned out a light and no one came back to check on me and turn it back on. It feels like an eternity of sitting and staring at black walls; I've tried to distinguish some light or colour but I have this sense that nothing of that sort lives here. Suddenly, I can hear noises. There is still nothing to see in here, but if I concentrate hard enough I can hear breathing, what sounds like faint sobs for a while until they slowly die down. Then I hear yelling and footsteps, the sounds of doors being torn open. I focus all of my energy towards me eyes and something flickers. Finally, as I'm standing on the edge of the large black abyss I hear the footsteps become louder and then a pause before the sound of a door slowly opening. That's when I finally find my eyesight and I give a shudder.

I lift up off the table and take a huge breath, I don't think I have been breathing in a while. _Oh my god_, the realization of those words cut into me, _I don't think I have been breathing_. My vision wavers and suddenly comes into view. I'm sitting on a cold metal table in what looks like a morgue. There are large filing cabinets, and even larger metal doors on the walls – which I'm quite sure are not filled with documents.

"Elena.." A voice from beside me whispers, in obvious pain.

Still struggling to control my breathing I turn right and see the voice belongs to Stefan sitting on a chair beside the table, his red rimmed eyes dry and full of pain. He must have been the sounds I had heard earlier. _Why was he crying?_

I glance a few feet behind him and that's when I see Damon, standing just in front of the doors with a look of sadness so imbedded on his face that I'm not sure I will ever be able to forget it.

These momentary glances have prevented my train of thought, but now that I have gotten a hold on my surroundings and made sure two of the men I love are safe it returns in full force. I grip the edges of the metal table and they bend under my fingers. I hear a gasp of surprise and realize that it is my own. Everything that has happened starts spilling back into my head, the water, Matt being dragged out of the window, Meredith's voice '_You're going to need something a little stronger than medicine to help you out.'_

"Elena, it's going to be all right. Let go of the table, just take a few minutes to adjust." Stefan gets up quickly and grips my shoulders looking into my eyes.

At the moment I'm not particularly in the mood to argue about myself and how everything will _NOT_ be alright. There are a thousand different emotions swirling in my head, and I'm scared. Suddenly worry springs to the front of my mind, pushing everything else away. "Is Matt okay? Did you save him in time? Tell me he isn't dead." I look into his eyes looking for any sign that will tell me he is trying to avoid the question.

"Matt's fine, I got him out of the water and to the hospital just in time. Meredith is watching him, and she's sure that he will pull through. Don't worry about him Elena just focus on yourself for a moment." His eyes betray no hint of panic and I believe that he really did save Matt in time.

"Are you kidding me?" I hear Damon's cold voice come from behind Stefan.

As Stefan turns around I get a momentary glimpse of Damon's face, and immediately wish I hadn't. He has a pained expression on which is quickly turning into a rage. His eyes are black like they are seething with hate and his hands have balled up at his side. I haven't seen Damon look like this in so long.

"Not now Damon. I know what you want to talk about, and we can do this later," Stefan retorts, sounding anxious.

He rounds back to me but Damon continues anyways, "We can talk about this later? You want to ignore the fact that you have killed the girl we love? You left her to drown in the water to save _Matt_." His voice raises and he starts yelling.

"She told me not to save her Damon, she wanted me to take Matt firs-" Stefan's words are cut off by a crashing sound as Damon slams him into a row of filling cabinets behind him. In an instant Stefan is up and jumping out of the way of another blow, which Damon quickly corrects and aims directly at Stefan's face. I scream at them as Damon's fist connects with Stefan's face for a fraction of a second before Stefan grabs his arms and slams him into some of the metal doors built into the wall. Damon is quicker but seems to be fighting out of a blind anger as he sloppily spins him around and grabs him by the neck pinning him against the wall and raising his body so that his feet won't touch the ground. Before I even know what I'm doing I am off the metal table and behind Damon.

"Damon, please stop." I can barely hear my own words but I know that he has heard them. For a few seconds he does nothing, but then his reserve falters and his hand releases Stefan's neck who slides down the wall and crumples a bit on landing.

"I'm dead aren't I?" I still haven't fully found my voice and I already know the answer to my own question, but I have to be sure.

Damon turns around as Stefan regains his composure behind him. He looks at me with those deep blue eyes that seem to absorb everything around them. I can see he is hurt, most likely for more than one reason. "Elena, you're in transition. Did you know Meredith gave you blood earlier?"

For a minute I actually consider lying about it, although I'm not sure why. "Yes. She told me that she was going to." As I'm considering this thought other memories start slamming into my head making me stagger a bit. Two hands are on each of my shoulders holding me steady. For a moment I have the urge to suppress a snort of laughter, with everything I've done and all the choices I thought I had made I've still managed to hang on to both brothers. I'm clearly delusional.

"Elena, are you okay?" I hear Stefan's voice finally coming from my left.

"Did you really just ask her if she is okay? You're really filled with geniu-" Damon's words are cut short as my head pounds and suddenly every thought is flying at me with amazing speed. _What about Ric, technically I died. Why are they still alive. What happened to Tyler. I don't want to be in transition. Is Jeremy all right, does he know about me. I will kill Rebeka myself when I see her. Who sired their bloodline. I hope it wasn't Rebeka. How will Caroline get through this. I'm hungry… _I end up with having all of these questions still at the front of my mind, as I collapse into the outstretched arms of the Salvatore's.**  
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	2. No Remorse

**The first chapter was just a tid-bit, this one will have a little more information in it. Realistically, if I was Elena I would have passed out right away. Talk about sensory chapters will get longer. Here goes!**

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Rebekah's POV**

I threw the rest of the clothes I wanted into a traveler's bag. Who would have thought that I'd be packing my own bag like a commoner? I'd get someone to help me, but almost everyone else is slow and stupid and I need to get the hell out of this house. I'm not even sure I can leave this house standing. Everything it represents makes me livid; built by my brother out of his obsession of never being alone, yet forcing him to ignore his family, keeping us apart and ultimately killing one of our siblings – not that I really care about that as he was a horrible immortal anyways. Six more dresses later and I'm finished. I rip the door off my temporary bedroom on the way out.

At the bottom of the stairs I stop and look around me. Why did it have to be Niklaus? This was that bitch Elena's fault anyways. If she had stayed away or just died before Nik would have never abandoned his family and behaved this way. _I'm glad I killed her_, I smile with smug satisfaction. Sure I had done it on a whim and that Matt had to die as well but she had deserved to die for being the cause of Nik's desecration and entombment in that coffin. I will kill every single one of them including those Salvatore brothers… but at the moment I cannot stand another second in this house. My eyes start to water and I set my bag down by the large front doors. I sped out of the back of the house and grabbed a large can of gasoline sitting beside some wood. Just as I return to the stairs to start pouring the gasoline along floors and furniture I hear a noise behind me.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were dead. I can't say that I'm happy you're not." I snarl, looking over at the foul hybrid creature my brother was so obsessed with. Even in his death they haunt my memory of him.

Tyler smiles an eerily familiar smile that looks awkward on his face, "Hello sister, didn't expect you to be planning a bonfire for my return."

I feel stunned into place, the voice coming from this abomination is Niklaus'. "What are you playing at?"

"You didn't wonder why the Salvatore brothers, Caroline and the Bennett vampire lived when I swore that I sired their line… While the only one who seemed to die was the hybrid Tyler. Never underestimate the power of an over protective Bennett witch Rebekah, they seem to have a very short temper." He explained, in a voice that absolutely belonged to my brother.

"Oh my god, it really is you," I take a step forward, feeling once again that my eyes were beginning to water.

"Of course it is, I would never leave you behind." He smiled as he stepped towards me. It was the weirdest sight to see him in Tyler's body, but unsurprisingly this isn't the only time he hasn't been in his own body. Still, I flinch before stepping into his arms for a brief hug. Stepping back I wondered, "What now?"

"First I am going to cause a bit of a stir around here with this new identity just because I can, then we are going to get little Bonnie to switch me back to my body and make her a deal she cannot possibly refuse." His lips turn up in a smirk and I can tell he is entering that mode where he ends up 8 steps ahead of everyone else. "Then we whisk up Elena and we are on our way the hell out of here, to where ever it is you chose." He smiles and turns around taking a few steps towards the door.

"Elena is dead. I killed her."

He pauses where he is and slowly turns to face me. "What?" His voice is steel even though it's coming out of the less than threatening hybrid.

"When I heard you were dead, I went for Elena. Her and Matt went off Wickery Bridge in his truck. Stefan saved Matt but I heard them taking Elena away in the ambulance, she was dead." I don't feel bad about this at all. Its time he learned to get on without his useless Hybrids. It's not like I would ever leave him alone anyways.

"Why would you do that!" He spins around and rounds on me. Although his voice is between a scream and a roar I don't back away, because his body is embarrassing. "I had everything under control and once again you came along and ruined it Rebekah. You never listen. You are the most selfish girl I have ever met."

"You were dead and she deserved to die. I wouldn't take it back Nik. I don't care about your obsession with her and your stupid half breeds." I finally take a step back from him.

"Get out of my sight." I hear him say quietly.

"Look you're better off witho-" He cuts me off screaming at me, "GET OUT OF MY SIGHT."

I turn and take off towards the stairs, but not before I see Bonnie slip in the front door and walk towards Klaus.


	3. At What Cost?

**Kind of plotted this in advance and to be honest I hate when there is such a break of time between chapters; I get bored and move to another story that's mostly completed. I'm an impatient reader! So this one is longer. Hope you guys are enjoying and aren't too upset at the fact that so far everyone is going to remain in their TVDs character and not stray too far from what they would do on the show. (Damon is not going to be buying puppy dogs and Bonnie will not be going back to floating feathers for a while).**

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Elena's POV**

I come to in an unfamiliar bed, covered in thick blankets. Sitting up slowly I realize with a sting of pain that it's my own bed in my own room. The curtains have been pulled shut but I can feel the shine of early morning sun. My alarm clock reads 5:12 AM. As I'm taking inventory on my limbs and getting ready to struggle out of bed the door opens and Jeremy slips in.

"Hey, just relax. I brought you some orange juice. I'm sorry, I forgot to ask Stephan if you can still eat and drink now so… whatever its here." His voice is soft like he is treading on egg shells. I can see the tired look in his face. Extra shadows of stress and worry are underneath his dry eyes. He's so young and yet he has had so much pain in his life. It just isn't fair to him. Here I am next on the list to disappoint him.

"It's fine Jer, thanks." I smile and try a sip of the orange juice, it isn't bad or anything it just doesn't help the dull itch and burn near the back of my throat.

"Look, I know that I haven't seen you and that technically you died and I should give you a moment but I can't. You have to complete the transition Elena. I don't want to be alone." His eyes start to glaze over and I can see he's trying to remain calm but it isn't working.

"Is Ric gone?" I remember that this is one of the questions that I had before. I'm also hoping to avoid the other conversation as long as possible.

"Yea, he came and visited me as a ghost before he left. He told me he'd always be looking out for me, and I can always talk to him when I want. It feels like when we first said our goodbye that was the real Ric. The other Ric wasn't even a fraction of that." He explains, almost trying to convince himself that it's okay he isn't devastated.

"I know. It hurts, but my goodbye before felt like it was the right one. Still we should have another goodbye." I can feel the tears spilling over.

"You didn't answer my first question Elena…" His eyes are determined and I think he may have been planning this ever since he heard. "I can't lose anyone else. I know you're worried about your humanity and the idea of being frozen in time and I know it's selfish but there is so much more you can do here. We will all be here every step of the way to help." He looks right at me with confidence, a confidence I don't believe in at the moment.

"I don't want to drink blood to survive. I don't want to be on the edge of right and wrong. I was supposed to grow old and get choices along the way." Tears are still running down my face and Jeremy reaches over for some tissues.

"I don't want to upset you right now. Just promise me you will think about it. Stefan and Damon think that you will have at least until dark before you will have to… make your choice." With that he stands up and crosses over to the door. "Everyone's here downstairs. Even Matt stopped by, with a little help from Caroline. You rest and when you're ready you can come down." He silently opens the door and leaves as quickly as he entered.

I sit there a while thinking about the decision I never wanted to have to make. What Jeremy says is true, it would break my heart to leave him here alone after everything he has gone through. _On the other hand, having a sister who is a vampire will guarantee he will always stay within the supernatural world. If only I could get him out and keep him out._ There are so many things that I wanted to do with my life, and I've never gotten around to them. _How can I guarantee that I will even be able to do these if I'm out murdering and draining the town. _Caroline has done great, and she seemed to have even less self-control as a human. _Caroline isn't me, and danger seems to follow me around. What if it gets ten times worse as a vampire?_ Stefan and Damon will be there to help me and make sure I stay in check. _What if my humanity was the only reason they stuck around, they could hate me, see me as Katherine._

No. If there is one thing I am positively sure of, it's that I am NOT Katherine, and Damon and Stefan would never leave me because they thought so. As I begin that trail of thought I hear raised voices coming from downstairs. Deciding that now is a good of time as any I get up and gingerly make my way to the door, finding that I'm a lot more poised and quiet than I ever have been. As I reach the top of the stairs I pause as I hear my name.

"- Elena's choice. It's not like we can force her. You guys know that would be wrong." Stefan's voice comes from the living room. I creep down a stair and sit down, surprisingly everyone seems to be caught up in an argument and paying no attention to me; although I see Caroline stiffen a little and tilt her head slightly to the side. She is closest to the stairs standing behind the couch. While Meredith and Jeremy sit sullenly on the couch in front of her. Matt is sitting in a chair and looks pretty banged up and a little dopey, but alive. Stefan is standing in the middle of the living room pacing a bit, while Damon stands in the farthest corner of the living room staying perfectly still.

"Right, because her choice hasn't already been taken away from her. Drink and die. Don't drink and die." Damon speaks from the corner, still standing still with his arms crossed and his eyes on the ground. His voice is low and even though it isn't particularly menacing I can tell that just beneath the surface he's beginning to boil.

"For once, I agree with Damon." Jeremy is turned away from me and sitting on the couch so I have to strain to hear. "I can't lose anyone else." Stefan runs a hand through his hair in frustration.

Damon gives a very tight lipped smile at this which seems almost half genuine. "Thanks baby Gilbert." Jeremy gives no answer in reply.

"Look this would all be easier if we could just buy some time or somehow reverse it. I mean Bonnie's a witch there has to be something she can do." I hear Matts hoarse voice from the chair.

"She's magic not angelic, there are some things that can't be fixed." Caroline answers him.

At that, the door opens and Bonnie walks in. She looks different and there is something off about the way she enters the room. Acting like she has been there the entire time she immediately interjects, "Actually there is something I can do."

This has everyone in the rooms' attention, and they all stare at her in silence. Just as I'm about to get up to come down the stairs and participate in the discussion Stefan asks, "And at what cost does that come." I pause where I am.

"The life of the vampire whose blood created her, they have to be staked and the blood off the stake can then be used in the spell to reverse the change as long as the person is still in transition. They are reverted back to being human, with a few small changes." Bonnie recites. The way she presents the spell sounds like she is already prepared to do it, whether anyone – myself included – agrees or not. I'm not sure what has happened to change Bonnie, but I immediately dislike it. No one presses her on where she has been the last few hours, or how she has figured this out so quickly.

"That's great and all but there are several issues in that spell, one vampires do not like to be killed even if you can find the one whose blood Meredith used. Two, the words 'a few small changes' sound like the ultimate fine print at the end of an 8 page contract. And three, we would have to get Elena to agree to killing another person even if it was a vampire." Caroline counts off the problems on her fingers. I have the feeling she isn't a total fan of Bonnie's new personality makeover either.

"It was Damon." Meredith's quiet voice comes guilt ridden from the other side of the couch. Almost everyone looks at her as though they are only now realizing she is there. It takes a moment for me to process what she is saying. "I used the rest of Damon's blood I had put away to help Elena."

As they slowly reach the same conclusion I have already guessed, all eyes in the room shift to Damon who is still standing frozen in the corner. Only the look in his eyes has changed drastically. I get up and retreat to my room as quickly and quietly as is still humanly possible.


	4. Some New Tricks

**Hope you guys are enjoying!**

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Elena's POV**

I will not kill Damon Salvatore. I reach my room and climb back into the bed throwing the covers up over my head. It is as if the world is attempting to give me the worst day ever. As I mull things over in my head the picture of Damon's face will not leave. I know it would be crazy to even think that he would consider it, but for some reason the look in his eyes makes me second guess. I would never agree to it anyways. I've found myself in so much trouble over the years it would be pointless for it to even happen, with only Stefan, Caroline and Bonnie around I can just imagine how long it would take Rebekah to discover I survived and come back to finish me off. If they wouldn't listen to any of my other hundred objections this one would definitely prove useful.

Sitting in my bed I realize that I'm annoyed at the fact that I'm always a victim. Over the years it seems as if everyone is always sacrificing and putting themselves in harm's way to protect me. Another round of raised voices brings me out of my thoughts. Through the vent in corner of my room I hear Bonnie's voice coming from the kitchen, and I quietly walk over and bend down to look into the room through the vent. Damon and Bonnie are both standing facing each other in the kitchen; Damon with his arms still crossed and Bonnie in a weird stance that makes it look like she's holding her ground in a fist fight.

"Look if it was up to me and there was a way to make sure she stayed safe I would do it, the objection isn't because I'm trying to spare myself." Damon's voice is a little less sharp then it was before. I can't believe they are even having this conversation. Is this not my choice? Do they really think I would kill one of my friends so that I can have a shorter life and the ability to have children?

"Well what if there was a way to make sure she stayed safe?" Bonnie replies quickly with narrowed eyes. I still don't understand why no one has questioned her. How is it that a semi-amateur witch who used to need help just flipping through Grimoires now has the power to understand and pull complicated ancient spells straight out of the air? "I can guarantee you that I can eliminate Rebekah and protect both Jeremy and Elena for the rest of their natural, _human_ lives. All you have to do is die." I swear I see an actual sneer form on her face.

"No offense Harry Potter, but I don't think you can pull that off and I'm not about to sacrifice myself for an overconfident teen girl." Damon sneers back, mocking her cold tone.

For a minute there is a pause where they both just stare at each other and Damon takes a small step forward. Suddenly he gives a yowl of pain as his arm makes a loud snapping noise and bends completely backwards at the elbow. Stumbling backwards he snaps his arm back into place while panting, "Well that's a new trick." He's still gasping a bit.

Bonnie takes a step forward and almost seems to look down upon him, "Don't test me Damon. I can protect her, and if you don't make a decision soon I'll make it for you." With that she turns around and walks to the glass doors, just as she is about to push them open she pauses. "I wouldn't bother mentioning this to the others. As far as they're concerned we've been quietly discussing things in here." She slips through the doors leaving Damon standing there staring after her.

I back up and move back onto my bed. My head is reeling and I'm starting to feel a little claustrophobic. Everything is falling apart right under my feet. Bonnie must have been using the spell for a while now, because so far no one seems to have been able to hear me. Sitting on the bed I start to hyperventilate and the tears come streaming down once again. This is too much to take in all at one time. I'm supposed to decide who lives or dies by the end of the day.

Finally I make the first decision of the day. I have to get out of here, grab some time alone to myself out in the real world where everyone else's day is carrying on as usual. I change my clothes and fix my hair a bit in the mirror. Grabbing a pair of sunglasses I walk over to the window. _The necklace_. I pause before I go any further and turn back to my dresser where Isobel's daylight necklace is still hanging. It would be foolish to go out without it. Crossing back to the window I gather all of the strength I can muster and shimmy out the window and down the trellis on the side of the house.

When I reach the ground I'm at odds about where to go. Now that I'm out of the house and without any hitches at all it seems like this whole idea was absurd. I could pass out at any moment and just die here on the ground, _maybe they'd even bury me here_, I think morbidly. That's where I need to go, to the graveyard and the tombstones of my mother, father and Jenna. Walking down the sidewalk my head begins to clear and I feel a little better than I did in the house. It wouldn't be so bad to be a vampire. I'd have all the time in the world, and I would be strong. I could defend myself and the people I love, and seeing as even as a human I was capable of staking several originals myself it might be possible.

After a little while I make it to the cemetery where I weave between the stones to my parents' and Jenna's graves, sitting down in front of them. For a while I just sit there thinking through all of my choices and all of the horrible as well as wonderful events that I've experienced until now. "What should I do?" I give a sigh and check my watch, it's been an hour. As I stand to leave I hear the sound of feet on the grass behind me. Spinning around I come face to face with Tyler. "Oh my god, Tyler. We thought you were dead." I half yell as I take a few steps towards him. Caroline has already said goodbye and this seems like a walking miracle. We should have known when Stefan and Damon didn't die that the idea of Tyler's death was off.

An odd grin comes onto his face and immediately wipes any trace of smile off of mine. "Hello love."

_Clara stands at the foot of her mother's grave, placing the neatly wrapped flowers down upon it. While turning to leave she catches a glimpse of a young girl who looks very pale and weak sitting at the foot of a collection of family graves. As she's walking back towards her car she hears a scream and turns to see the girl being dragged roughly through the cemetery by a boy her age. In a panic she runs to her car to grab her cell phone, just in time to look back out on the cemetery and get caught up in the most beautiful, calming hazel eyes she has ever seen…_


	5. When It Rains

**Well here's another, I have an idea already of the twists this story is going to take so read on! Sorry I didn't update yesterday it was my birthday.**

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Stefan's POV**

We've been talking in circles for at least two hours, but my heart hasn't really been in it – figuratively speaking of course. Damon is in one of the worst moods I've seen him in since he came to Mystic Falls. So far he's managed to handle himself pretty well but I suspect that's because Elena's right upstairs. When Matt came in I expected him to rip his heart out and leave it on the area rug, but after a slight twitch he settled back into his stony composure. I can tell that any minute he could snap and kill every living being in this room, and the sad part is that I hope he loves Elena enough to not lose control.

Inwardly I cringe at my last thought; as if I'm a spokesperson of control. Even all my love for Elena couldn't keep the Ripper at bay. Glancing around the room I see that everyone has lapsed into silence.

"Where does all of this even leave us?" Jeremy asks holding his head between his hands.

I caused this. I'm the reason his sister is dead.

"It leaves us right where we started." Damon doesn't even attempt sarcasm.

"Well it's 8 now; we should wake up Elena and fill her in." It's the best thing I can come up with at the moment.

"Elena's been awake since 5…" Jeremy looks at us like we're lying.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Now he's looking at me like I'm crazy. "You're a vampire, haven't you guys heard her or something?" Jeremy looks around at Caroline and Damon. A second later Damon and I are in Elena's empty room staring at the open window.

"Damnit!" I stare at the open window as Damon pulls at his hair. This might be what pushes him too far. "Why the hell would she leave and why didn't we…" He trails off looking angrier then he was before. "It was Bonnie."

This catches me off guard, I know there was something wrong but what would she have to do with all of this. "What does Bonnie have to do with Elena sneaking out of her window?" Lately things have been spilling into a whole new level of confusion.

"Remember when Bonnie and I had that civilized talk in the kitchen? She broke my arm in half with her mind, told me she'd do the spell whether I liked it or not, then informed me not to bother telling anyone because you couldn't hear us. In short, only one of us was having a civilized talk." How Damon manages to find the patience to be cynical is beyond me.

"So Bonnie spelled the house so we couldn't hear anything from the living room," I guess.

"Yes, and now we have a transitioning Elena with a possible two hour head start. We have to leave now."

We run back downstairs and Damon fills the rest of our search and rescue team in. Jeremy looks particularly angry about Bonnie's spell, but doesn't say anything – unlike Caroline.

"Are you serious? We have enough shit to deal with without trying to figure out whatever issues Bonnie has at the moment. I mean, it's not like her mom died from Klaus' death," she tops her rant short as tears start streaming down her cheeks. "Let's just find Elena."

"I've got this covered. We're going to split into three. Matt you stay here in case Elena comes home. Meredith, you'll be with Caroline and I. Jeremy you're with Damon. Anyone have any ideas of where she'll be?" I take the lead, trying to cover all of the bases.

"We should check the cemetery first," Jeremy chips in.

"Can't we leave a note or something and I'll go looking too?" Matt is still sitting off to the side, uncomfortably. His voice is still raspy and he's in bad shape; without Caroline's compulsion there's no way he'd be here.

I give what I hope is a regretful smile. "Sorry Matt someone will have to really be here. Besides, if Rebekah sees you alive who knows what will happen. You might not have been just collateral damage."

"I doubt she'd care..." The new voice comes from the door. I'm past the couch, between her and Matt, Meredith and Jeremy before they've even registered what is happening. Though not everyone lacks reaction time. Caroline takes several steps closer and in front of the living room. The quickest is Damon, who breaks off a rod from the wooden railing headed upstairs with a SNAP, and has the jagged edge speared through her shoulder and into the wall behind her. He does all of this in a fraction less than the time it took us to move.

"What are you doing here," Damon sneers, "I will rip you limb from limb." For a second I pause worried that this is what has finally put him over that fine line. After a moment I move over to Damon's side.

"Do you really think I would be here if I didn't have to be? I'm not here to apologize and beg for your forgiveness. I'm here because I have to." Rebekah answers. I can tell she seems to be humouring Damon and not moving out of the wall on purpose. Even though she's in pain she is an original, and it would take her a second to be out of our grasp. The only conclusion I can come to is this is the best way for her to show that she is serious. Either way I agree with Damon.

"You should be here to beg for forgiveness, even though I'd never give it to you. I don't care if you have to be here, get the hell out." Damon pushes the makeshift wooden stake farther into the wall behind her.

"Just tell us what you need to and leave." Although I agree with Damon's idea, I know that she wouldn't be here right now unless there was something she thought would interest us. It's becoming more and more difficult to think clearly and stay focused on getting whatever it is out of Rebekah. It's always been this way off and on, having the urge to stay balanced for me and my brother. Although I have to admit that it's happened a lot less since he came to Mystic Falls; half of that because of his change and the other half because of my inability to control myself for once.

Rebekah pushes Damon back and pulls the makeshift stake out of her shoulder. "Well for one Klaus is alive. He's in Tyler Lockwood's body thanks to your little witch." In a flash Caroline shoves herself at Rebekah knocking her off balance. Rebekah counters this by grabbing Caroline by the shoulders and slamming her down onto the floor. Damon and I reach down and rip her off, while I try to calm down Caroline.

"Caroline get out of here, we'll deal with her. Go look for Elena." After another wave of fighting, a series of curses and some coaxing later Caroline heads out the back door, nearly crushing the handle on her way.

"You're clearly not popular here so why don't you spit out the whole story so you can leave." Jeremy hasn't spoken this entire time, but rather stared at his hands.

Rebekah stands to the side of the living room like she'd rather be anywhere else in the world and starts. "Well I'm about to leave town yesterday when my brother shows up in Tyler's body. Turns out Bonnie has a sense of self preservation and didn't want her mother to die. She used a spell which my mother used before and managed to put Klaus into Tyler's body. I'm not sure if Tyler is dead or if his spirit is somewhere else, that's really not my problem so don't bother asking. Klaus has found out that Elena isn't dead but in transition and has offered Bonnie a deal if she can manage to keep Elena human."

From beside me I can hear Damon let out a sort of chuckle, "Bonnie assured me that if I helped keep Elena human she'd kill you, not a fan of her deal are you?" He's wearing one of his half smirks, which seems to put Rebekah in an even more standoffish mood.

"That part of the deal doesn't exactly thrill me, not to mention the fact that I overheard my brother agree to it, but that's not why I'm here. The other part of the deal is that Klaus will take Elena and her brother away from any super naturals and she will be a regular blood bag donor, and Bonnie's right on board. You have your work cut out for you."

We stand there staring at her for a few seconds. How are we supposed to deal with Bonnie and her new found personality. Everyone knows when it rains it pours…

A loud buzzing noise interrupts the silence. "It's Caroline," Jeremy says as he reads a text on his phone. "She's found Elena, Klaus has her."


	6. Foolproof Plan

**Sorry it's been so long, work is kicking my ass! I have a 10 hour day tomorrow so happy to get this out tonight and will hopefully have another chapter Friday night which will definitely NOT end on a cliffhanger, which unfortunately is not what I can say for this one. **

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Jeremy's POV**

"Are you sure this is going to work?"

"It's the perfect plan baby bro. Fool proof; even you can do it."

"Don't joke around with me Damon. The only reason I wanted to do this is so that I can get close enough to give Elena my blood."

"Well you're certainly excited for her to be dead. At least I know you're on my side and not team Stefan."

"She deserves the chance to be able to protect herself and the people she cares about – and the time just gives her the ability to find some happiness. Hopefully it will end the entire doppelganger issue too. Not to mention the alternative is death."

"She'll be happy and find a way to deal with the thirst. Actually, she'll probably turn into the first vampire with an extensive concept of humanity."

With that we stop talking and come up to the gates of the cemetery. We slip through the gates quietly, Damon a lot quieter than me. As we walk along the rows I keep my head up looking back and forth for Elena, feeling conspicuous. Finally the graves of Jenna and my parents come into view. It's too painful to look at them for the moment so I turn and look around at the other graves.

"She's not here." I already know this but it's our job to pretend we're still looking for her. Most likely one of Klaus' hybrids is patrolling the cemetery waiting. It still feels stupid to say.

Damon turns and gives me a judging look before turning and heading off toward a small road that runs along the trees and through the center of the cemetery. As we reach the road Damon pauses and looks down the lane way. In an instant Klaus is standing there with Damon's head between his hands. A loud cracking noise alerts me to the fact that he's snapped his neck.

As Damon crumples to the ground Klaus gives a smile that looks entirely out of place on Tyler's body. He's faster than normal and he isn't waiting around for anything. This thought makes me silently curse Bonnie… and Stefan who clearly did not distract Klaus like the plan called for. When Damon comes to I'm going to have to point out that clearly the plan was not _fool proof_. Then Klaus rounds on me.

**Caroline's POV**

I'm seriously considering ripping her head off her body like a plastic doll. I know I should check my emotions and calm down but this is impossible to let go. Someone I thought was my best friend sacrificed my boyfriend so that her friends and family would live. Sometimes this almost feels like it's something I would do if I was in the same position, and then I snap back to the painful reality and curse myself for thinking that. This isn't a simple decision between saving all of my friends and family and killing my best friend's boyfriend, this is worse because this isn't the only dastardly thing she's done in the last 24 hours. She put Klaus in his body. Who the hell does that? Then she comes over to Elena's house after everything that has happened with Rebekah and Klaus and wants Elena to kill Damon and be Klaus' blood bag for life along with Jeremy.

With my blood still hot in my veins I walk along the driveway and into the boarding house, going off the information I got from Rebekah. I wasn't eager to listen to her but she overheard Bonnie and Klaus and she knows that Bonnie will be here. Immediately I can hear Bonnie upstairs in Damon's room and that's exactly where I head. As I step into the doorway I see Bonnie riffling through one of Damon's dresser drawers. For some reason this makes me even angrier. She freezes as I take several steps into the room, my high heeled boots clicking on the floor.

"Really? Stealing from the Salvatore's, and I thought you could sink no lower." I barely contain my snarl. This Bonnie in front of me doesn't look like my best friend. She has a wild look in her eyes and she has that aura of someone who hasn't slept in days. She's wearing a thin sweater and she keeps pushing her sleeves up over and over.

"I'm busy at the moment so can we leave this until later?" She attempts a friendly calm face but it isn't going to work. I've known this girl my entire life.

"You killed Tyler, put Klaus in his body and now you are going to attempt to get Elena to kill Damon and be Klaus' pet for the rest of her life and you want to talk about this later? If were even going to scratch the surface we'd better start now." I can feel my hands shaking and I cross them across my chest feeling insecure. I don't want to show my emotions.

Bonnie stops pushing at her sleeves and stares hard at me, almost threw me as if she's trying to read something. "So you know about Klaus. I'm sorry about Tyler but I did what I had to do to save my mother. Elena should be human, and it's my duty to protect her no matter what the obstacle is. Klaus has promised me that she will have the best life this way and I believe him. Trust me I have ways of making sure he keeps his promise." Her voice feels emotionless to me. It feels like I'm talking to an early version of Damon about one of his victims.

"Are you even listening to yourself? You're acting like Elena's your responsibility and that she has no say. Your apology sounds eight degrees from being genuine and you sound like a cocky football player. Klaus is always one step ahead he probably knows a way around your spells already." It's like the old intelligent, cautious Bonnie had flown right out the window replacing her with the one standing in front of me.

Bonnie turns around and goes back to her digging in Damon's things. "Look Caroline I don't have time to sit around and listen to your attitude adjustment talks. I'm kind of busy."

I take a step forward and narrow my eyes at her. My shaky hands form fists and rest still at my sides. "I'm not done with you yet." I hiss at her through clenched teeth. She drops a shirt she was holding and stiffens. Well my part of this plan was to distract and keep Bonnie away and I have a feeling I've started that. She turns back around to me and now she looks even wilder than before.

"You're not done with me? You're about to be." Her eyes blaze and right before my eyes all of the veins that are noticeable on her body come to the surface and hang there more black than blue. I have a feeling the distraction I'm about to provide is going to cost one of us.

**Elena's POV**

A yell wakes me up from my foggy dream. Blinking I try to remember what it was I was trying to hang on to as I came to. I was walking through the dark… I can't remember. As I try to get a grip on where I am and what's going on I feel a sharp pain in my wrists. That's when I notice the weird position I'm in laying on the cold marble floor against a wall with my wrists behind me and my legs together. _Klaus_. I groan, which to a passerby would sound like I just woke up to a Monday of school but inside I'm panicking. I struggle to sit up and take in the surroundings of Klaus' house. I'm in a large room that I think is a living room but could also be a dining room, as all of the furniture has been cleared out. The sun is shining harshly through the tall windows hurting my eyes. At least I'm not bursting into flames, and as I look down at the necklace I silently say the only thanks I have ever given my biological mother. If I should happen to turn in this house at least I have one element of surprise on my side.

A loud banging noise and another yell bring my attention to what actually woke me up in the first place. As I'm still trying to think of the different ways I could get out of here I see two figures through a large doorway. Klaus has Damon strung up by the same bear traps Rebekah used on him before except they also seem to be coated in Vervaine because I can see the faint smoke rising up from each of his arms. His head is bent towards the ground and there are several slices across his chest. Klaus seems to be ordering to someone on the other side of the room.

"Just throw him in the other room and get out. I need you to go find the witch, NOW. Tell her we're all set." Klaus paces back and forth in front of Damon looking pent up.

A girl in her 20s walks around the corner and I quickly close my eyes leaning against the wall hoping that because I'm in transition she won't be able to tell if I'm awake or not. I hear a thump several feet to my left and then her footsteps crossing back to the right through the doorway. I risk opening my eyes a bit and she's back with Klaus.

"Pretty sure that girl in there is dead. Hope you didn't want to keep her." Her voice is high and falsely sultry.

"That's because she is dead now stop talking and go get Bonnie." Klaus answers her looking annoyed as she walks out the door. "It is so hard to get decent, intelligent help around here. They can't even tell the difference between someone who's in transition and someone who's dead." He tells no one in particular, although at hearing the word transition Damon lifts his head and looks directly at me locking my eyes with his and giving me a quick half-hearted smirk that quickly falls when his eyes shift beside me. Klaus seems to not be paying attention but still pacing so I glance to my left and almost let out a yell. Jeremy is lying on the floor a few feet from me, his head bleeding onto the white marble.


	7. Everything Changes

**As promised here is another chapter and no cliff-hangers this time! Well not really anyways.**

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Elena's POV**

I bite back a scream as my eyes take in the crumpled body of my brother lying a few feet from me. His head is bleeding and he's knocked out, but that's all I can tell from so far away. The smell of blood washes over me in waves. I feel ashamed of my reaction as my throat and jaw muscles clench and my mouth starts to water. The blood doesn't smell any different, it's no chicken dinner, but it doesn't repel me. I can just imagine the warm salty metallic taste on my lips, running thickly down the back of my throat… Ugh. I give my head a quick shake. _That blood is coming from my brother_. His left hand is trapped underneath himself but craning my neck I can see the large ornate ring on his right hand. Thankfully he hasn't died as many times as Rick had but that thought doesn't calm me. What if he dies and it wasn't at the hands of a supernatural? I know Bonnie said that Klaus would take us both away but when has he ever cared about something once he has what he wants? Nobility and honour are two words that are likely never found in his vocabulary.

I turn back to face Damon and Klaus, who is still pacing in front of Damon. "You know your witch really is something. She's delved into some dark magic, I'm not sure that I'll be inclined to give her up any time soon." He smiles and finally pauses to look at Damon.

I'm just grateful that so far I've been left alone and I'll have time to think and find a way out of this.

"Yeah, well, at the moment we don't really want her." Damon spits back, still smirking. Klaus' smile widens a bit as he carries on. These are the only two men I've ever met who seem to use a smile as intimidation – and it definitely works.

"If I were you I wouldn't be all that excited either. You'll be dead in less than an hour. Don't worry it's all for a good cause. You know that you and your brother are the cause of most of her pain." A noise from the hall distracts him and he turns toward the large entrance. Unfortunately I can't see that far to the right. "That's probably Bonnie now, so sad you won't get to say any goodbyes."

As Klaus strides out of the room I hear the door open and Stefan's voice ring out from the front of the house. He seems to be offering Klaus a deal, which is of course declined. Their voices get louder as they start to argue and both of them move to the other side of the house. If I strain my ears I can just make out voices but so far there is no fighting. If there was any time to get out of here, it would be now.

I pull at the ropes behind me but a sudden bout of dizziness sets in and it's all I can do to stop from passing out. I try to look around the room for a clock but the lavishly designed rooms have no sympathy for modern pieces. What's time to someone who will live forever? Time is important to those in transition though. I try to judge the sun in the sky but it's not in view of any of the windows. As it is the sun is casting long rectangular beams across the floor which means it has to be at least early afternoon or later.

So this is how I make my choice… Tied up and sitting inside of a vampire's house while he plots to keep me human. Ironic but not funny, as I think over my decision. There really isn't a choice; I can't leave Jeremy. My life was ended early by another vampire's choice, it wasn't my time to go and it isn't time for me to give up. I've been given another opportunity to be stronger and faster. If I leave my friends and family now things won't get any better for them. I turn toward Damon thinking these over and hoping that somehow he'll have an answer for me. The look in his eyes is the opposite of an answer.

It's one of those rare times where all of his emotions actually show on his face. His deep blue eyes are wide and staring right into mine. Looking into them you can almost see into his soul, the pain and misery they've seen is so deep. My favourite Damon look is the one of pride and challenge lingering on his face at the moment. It's like he's staring at me and pushing me, hoping that I push back just as hard. His mouth is open slightly and his lips are parted which does weird things to the hormonal teenager which still has a slight grasp on me. Right now he's not offering any answers, instead it's like I hold all of the answers and he's waiting for me to tell him what to do. It's one of the most thrilling feelings I get from Damon. He has definitely been my rock for a while now, and for a second I feel horrible for choosing to basically let him die alone. Then the second is over and I push that away for later, I can think about these things later.

Turning towards Jeremy I start inching my way towards him by stretching my arms and legs and dragging myself. Being as careful as I can I reach him and pause over his face. There's a gash on the top of his forehead that is still bleeding badly and now I can hear his breathing is raspy. I lean over his head and whisper a silent apology, and then I lick the cut.

For a minute I lose track of the entire world as the blood slips across my tongue and seems to ignite every feeling and nerve as it makes its way down. It's like I've been asleep and drank the largest cup of coffee in existence. My vision sharpens, my hearing reaches out, and I can even feel the patterns in the marble beneath me. My sense of smell is the most affected, as the smell of blood fills up my head and for a moment that is all there is. It's as though you can taste life in it and it feels like the sweetest power. I bolt backwards and take several deep breathes – even though I don't have to. My throat aches and Jeremy's blood is still drawing me in but I have to focus and clear my head.

I tear through the ropes quickly with most of them severing at my wrists when I pull, then I move down to my legs. Jeremy needs to get to the hospital as soon as possible but Damon has to be the first one I deal with. Sprinting over quietly I look towards Damon as he gasps and his eyes widen. Confused I stop before pulling the traps off his arms, looking at him questioningly.

"The sun" he whispers at me, eyes still wide.

I find myself smiling at this. _Thanks mom_. I pull the necklace out from under my shirt and when I see that he understands I put it back and get to work. I'm surprised at how swift and careful I can be as I remove the traps embedded in his arms. I can hear Klaus and Stefan clearer now as they debate and argue in a room on the other side of the house. Stefan seems to be pulling out all of the stops in his attempts to barter my freedom, which leads me to believe that Damon and Jeremy ending up in this house was not a part of the plan.

"C'mon. I need help with Jeremy and we have to get out of here before Klaus see's us, especially me." I quietly urge Damon on as we cross over to Jeremy. Damon lifts him into his arms to carry him out.

"What about Stefan?" He asks as we cross over to a large set off glass bay doors, pausing as we reach them.

"Jeremy needs help and if Klaus sees me he'll probably stake me himself. Stefan can handle himself." I'm worried for Stefan but that isn't the priority here, and it really is true that he can take care of himself.

Damon gives a full smile that even reaches his eyes. "You're going to make a great vampire." With that he turns and exits out the door. As I cross through the doors to leave I hear a loud smash of glass but I don't stick around to find out what it was. Following Damon we go around the side of the house and towards the woods in the back. As Damon disappears into the trees I turn to take one look back at the house, wondering if maybe Stefan has figured out that we're gone by now.

Walking up to the front with an unbecoming strut is Bonnie, focusing on the front door and oblivious to the fact I'm at the edge of the lawn. I turn more and shuffle my feet a little, watching as Bonnie snaps her attention towards me. I give her what I hope is one of my most steely composed faces and I turn and run hard into the trees after Damon.


	8. I Feel Fine

**This one's a little slow but necessary, next chapter will be getting into the different lifestyles of being a vampire ;) we all know a few of our favourite people have different ways of living.**

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Elena's POV**

You'd think that becoming a vampire would be something that drastically altered the way you perceive life and time. Yet staring at my brother lying on the couch covered in a blanket the minutes seem to drag by and my beliefs regarding life are as intact as ever. Life is precious and I'd make sure that neither Jeremy nor I would waste it.

It had been an hour since I'd given Jeremy some of my blood. Meredith had checked him over the best she could at the hospital while trying to stay out of the way of other patients. She believed he would be fine but that vampire blood would speed up the healing and make sure than nothing went wrong. Of course Damon and I had taken him home to keep him safe, seeing as someone with vampire blood in their system has a pretty good chance of dying around here… Meredith had taken Matt back to the hospital, Caroline was still out trying to vent anger over Bonnie after having gotten both of her legs broken, and Stefan hadn't returned from Klaus' yet.

I could sense Damon behind me standing against the wall watching me watch Jeremy. There was so much more that I was aware of now. Everything was clearer and I could make out the smallest details. Smells, sounds, and taste were now so sharp. The most vivid transformation is the feelings though, as a jumble of emotions is currently running through me. Different moods pop up depending on the moment and it's easy to go from guilty to ecstatic in seconds. There are other feelings too that are harder to control than my emotions and they seem to be the most prominent. I have the urge to protect Jeremy at any cost; probably throwing myself in front of a bus for him, not that I would die. There are also the feelings I have regarding the man standing behind me. If I thought it was difficult choosing between them before this is hell. Every movement Damon has made so far has been noticed. At the moment I can tell he's crossing his arms in his leather jacket, his finger finding a small cut in the fabric to trace. He's most likely staring at me with that stony face and those deep blue ocean eyes. I have to fight every urge not to turn around and jump him where he stands. I push all of these thoughts down for the moment and leave them for later.

I was getting antsy and about to get up to move to another spot when Jeremy stirred. "Jeremy? Can you hear me?" His eyes flickered a bit and then opened wide as he sat up a bit and stretched looking around and taking in his surroundings.

"How'd we get out of there? What happened?" I put my arm on his shoulder and hold him down so that he can't get up too quickly. He seems to struggle for a minute and then look up at me with a bit of a smile.

"You completed the transition… I hope I held up my part of the plan," his smile still lingers. I can hear Damon let out a small half laugh behind me.

"I told you it was a fool proof plan." Damon comes over to sit on the couch with Jeremy and I sit in the middle of them.

"I used your blood, and you probably don't want to know how. Then I let Damon down and we got the hell out of there. Stefan was there trying to negotiate, I'm not sure where he is now." I inform Jeremy, bringing him up to speed, frowning to myself.

"Stefan's still there? Damon I'm sorry but you got your neck broken in less than 10 seconds and Stefan didn't even distract Klaus at the right time. The only people who did any good were Caroline and Elena." Jeremy relaxes a bit into the couch and rubs his forehead. I can feel Damon at my side, his leg touching mine.

"Don't forget yourself, blood bag." I turn as I see Damon smirk over at Jeremy. It's nice to sit here and pretend there isn't anything wrong for once, that in a few minutes we'll go to bed and in the morning it will be another ordinary day of high school. We all know that's a lie.

"It would be great if you'd stay in the house for the next day or so. I gave you some of my blood to speed up the healing, and I'd really hate you to follow in my footsteps." I turn back towards Jeremy and he gives me a smile. "Also we should really do something for Ric and try to stay out of Klaus and Bonnie's way." I frown again to myself; things are always so complicated now that it's hard not to find yourself wishing for a simpler life.

"We'll manage. So what's it like?"

How do I answer that question? My throat is still tight and I can hear Jeremy's heartbeat. I feel like an upgraded version of myself, but the price for that upgrade is pretty high. "It isn't horrible. I'm a little confusing at the moment." I try to put on my best smile.

The door opens and Stefan comes in looking disheveled but alright. He closes the door and runs a hand through his hair finally turning to look at us. He stops immediately and his eyes wash over me. A feeling of shame comes to the surface and I feel as though I've let him down by becoming a vampire.

"Surprise! Although you already knew this had happened." Damon was the first one to say anything as he gets up from his spot on the couch and crosses over to the wall leaning his back against it and surveying the room. His tone is back to its regular sarcastic self.

"I know; it was just different to see. How are you feeling?" Stefan crosses over to the couch and sits down in Damon's vacant spot. Jeremy seizes the opportunity to get up and go to the kitchen leaving me with Damon and Stefan.

"Alright. Different." It's too hard to put any actual emotions into words. Truthfully I feel great, but what if this is temporary and I end up turning into a cold, calculating murderer. I look away from Stefan and Damon and try to focus on a spot in the room and seem interested.

"Some people deal with it better than others. You've been around vampires for a while now and you know what they go through. It's fine to feel okay," Damon says from the wall. I turn back and see him studying me. Clearly he knows me about as well as I know myself.

"You'll be fine and we're here to help you, I know you didn't want this." Stefan offers grabbing one of my hands.

Suddenly the room seems too small and constricting. I squeeze Stefan's hand in gratitude and try to take a few deep breaths. It's true I didn't want this, and I still wish I could go back to being myself. Then there is a whole other side of me that is excited and thrilled, and somehow stronger than before.

My savior comes in the form of the distraction of Caroline as she comes through the front door and enters into the living room taking up the chair to my right. She looks so unlike herself; tired, quiet and wearing the same clothes from the day before.

"Are you alright? You should go home and get some sleep." I realize as soon as I say the words that I'm wrong and Caroline isn't tired, vampires sleep by habit. She probably hasn't had any blood for the last day and a half. I'm worried about her after everything she's been through. Although the last day has been difficult for me I didn't lose anyone, and I definitely didn't have my boyfriend killed and replaced by my worst enemy with the help of my best friend.

"Do you mind if I crash here? I don't really want to go home." She looks off through the living room without looking at me.

"That's fine." I smile at her, honestly happy that she isn't worried about me.

"Did you make any progress with Bonnie?" Stefan looks just as worried about Caroline as he asks her.

"Bonnie's gone off the deep end. If witches happen to have a humanity switch hers is thrown to off. The worst part is she claims to be focusing on protecting humans and is completely oblivious to the harm she's actually doing. She broke both of my legs before I left there; I've known her my entire life it's not like I would have ever hurt her." Her pained expression makes me that much more worried about Bonnie.

Bonnie's always had a bad impression of vampires and her reasons aren't exactly unjustified. At one point it had taken some compromising and convincing for her to agree that she wouldn't kill Stefan or Damon unless they fed off of humans. Over time they grew on each other though, having saved each others lives several times. I'd even believed that she was starting to warm up to Damon. Either way there was no way the Bonnie I knew would have ever done anything to hurt Caroline. Whatever had happened to Bonnie had been serious enough to throw all progress and friendship away.

"We have to find something to do about Bonnie. Klaus and Rebekah will need to be dealt with as well to keep Elena protected." As Stefan mentions Klaus, Caroline seems to pale a bit and then finally shift her focus to look at me. Once again I feel like I'm under the scrutiny of one of my friends as I wait for the questions to come. For the second time that night I am rescued.

"Don't worry about Rebekah and Klaus. I've got my own ideas on how to deal with them." Damon smirks as though he's in on the world's biggest secret. Knowing Damon, this isn't entirely out of the question. "But we'll talk about this in the morning; we're going to have enough to deal with for the next few days."

Before anyone can say anything else I say goodnight, letting everyone know that wherever they want to sleep is fine and I make my way up to my bedroom. For a moment I let myself believe that things could go back to being simple, and that in the morning all I'll have to worry about is what I am going to wear the next day. Then I crawl under the covers and allow reality to seep back, as my throat burns I remind myself that everything is about to change.


	9. Don't Push Me

**Well guys it's been a few days but this one was fun to write. I'm on vacation for a week starting tomorrow, going to see my Grams who has no computer let alone any internet so I'm going to try to get a few chapters out tonight to tide things over. Enjoy!**

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Elena's POV**

The next day is just as hard as the first. Waking up seems normal enough, and I walk downstairs to find everyone sitting at my kitchen counter, dressed and talking quietly as if we've all woken up from a sleep over and now we're preparing for a new day of school. That's where the similarities end as I notice two of the coffee mugs sitting on the counter are filled with blood. I pause in the hallway feeling my face constrict as the smell reaches me. I can tell all of the veins in my face are coming to the surface. I spin away and run back to the stairs quickly, hanging onto the railing for support. As I try to pull myself together I hear a _whooshing_ noise and look up into the warm eyes of Stefan.

"Are you alright?" He grabs my face between his hands and looks into my eyes. From the look on his face I can guess that the veins have gone away, and I no longer feel the constricting or pulling sensation.

"Yeah I'm fine; it's just they're drinking…" I can't even bring myself to say blood. Two days ago I would have come downstairs to the same scene and poured myself a large glass of orange juice. Now I feel myself aching for a sip of whosoever blood happens to be in those cups.

"Right, I'm sorry about that. Caroline and Damon were just finishing up we've got a lot to do today. Why don't you go get dressed and then meet us down here and we'll go." He gives me a little smile and lowers his hands. It feels odd standing here with him and knowing that he has no idea I chose him only a short time ago. For now, having things teeter on the edge of friendship will be best.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

With that I head upstairs and get dressed. A short while later I find myself back at the boarding house under the watchful eyes of Stefan and Damon. Caroline volunteered to watch Jeremy at the house in case Bonnie, Klaus or Rebekah showed up, but secretly I think it had more to do with her not wanting to be alone. Unfortunately, this leaves me alone with Damon and Stefan and their fresh distaste for each other after my transformation. I can still vividly remember the sound of Damon's yells when he broke into the morgue. For the moment I can believe that my needs are the only reason the two of them are around each other at all, even though they are still pretty on edge. Just the thought of that makes me sad, and I try to hide it as we walk into their large living room.

"So what are we doing today?" I ask as I slump down onto the couch, trying to look less moody than I really am.

"Vampire 101, I hope you brought a notebook." Damon walks over to his favourite table and pours himself a drink. Great he's morning drinking again. For some reason this puts me in an even worse mood.

"I thought we could show you how to fight a bit today seeing as you're a magnet for trouble." Stefan smiles a little and comes to sit next to me. "Plus you have to learn how to feed."

The last part of the sentence wipes any form of possible smile off of my face, so I tackle the first point. "I'm supposed to learn how to fight from you guys?"

Damon sits on the opposite couch and takes a sip of his drink. "Well I'm not sure what you can learn from Stefan but I happen to be a world class teacher."

"I can't fight you guys. It's weird and I don't want to hurt anybody." My bad mood turns into a bit of a panic as I think of the possibility of accidentally hurting one of them. I admit that sometimes I have the urge to punch Damon in the face, but under the circumstances I have no urge to do that right now.

"You can't hurt us Elena, we're older than you and it's difficult enough to hurt us already. Think of it like sword fighting lessons, only instead of the sword-"

"I'm the weapon." I finish Stefan's sentence and stand to walk over to the window. "I can't do it." I think it's ridiculous to even try but I don't mention this out loud. I'm not even strong enough to beat the Salvatore's and somehow this is supposed to help me to defend myself against an Original? I've been a vampire all of one day and now I'm expected to find it in me to attack two of the people I love for practice…

I can hear Stefan sigh behind me and get up from the couch. "Well maybe we'll just start with feeding then." Another wave of panic hits as I find myself already making excuses to get out of this lesson - when Damon lets out a sarcastic laugh.

"Really? She whines about it and you decide to give up? You can't really be that naïve."

"She's already strong, and besides this is only the second day of her being a vampire so just let it go."

"Let it go like you did when you let her die? Klaus is going to be pissed and even though Barbie helped us yesterday it was only to save her own ass. She needs to know how to defend herself, we can't just put that off until tomorrow like its history homework."

"I didn't let her die! We've protected her from them before why would we have more difficulty now that she's a vampire? We can do this tomorrow."

"We protected her before? SHE'S DEAD. THAT MEANS WE FAILED." Damon's yell is the last of the verbal argument as I turn around to see a brandy glass smash on the back wall where Stefan had been standing a split second before.

Then they're both in the center of the room as they wrestle and throw punch after punch at each other. Damon quickly gets the upper hand and sends Stefan slamming into a bookcase on the far wall. As the bookcase falls Stefan slips out from underneath of it just in time. The moment it takes Stefan to get distracted from the shelf Damon is back pinning him against the wall as he did in the morgue. Throughout the fight I've remained quiet and yet watching this scene again my reaction is completely different than before. I'm angry.

Speeding over to them I shove Damon sending him soaring to the other side of the room where he quickly regains his balance. Stefan doesn't seem to appreciate the act and side steps me to meet Damon again as they continue to fight and yell at each other.

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT."

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING DO YOU."

"YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO TAKE CHOICES AWAY FROM PEOPLE."

"DON'T ACT LIKE YOUR SO INNOCENT."

I've had enough. Once again I slam into them and knock Stefan to the side while throwing Damon across the room, knowing that he will fight longer than Stefan will. "Stop it!"

Stefan staggers a bit and gets up from the floor but listens to me and doesn't take another step forward. As expected Damon recovers and comes back for more. As he attempts to cross the room I pin him to the wall behind him, knocking several framed paintings down.

"Stay out of this Elena." He kicks out at me and I stagger a foot or so back as he turns back to Stefan.

"Stefan don't touch him!" Angry I jump on Damon's back and lock my arms around his neck. Trying to throw me off he slams me up against the wall, knocking even more pictures off, but I don't loosen my grip. Instead I throw him off balance by pushing with my legs against the wall. As we tumble to the floor I roll off and break a leg off of one of the small wooden end tables. Spinning around I pin Damon onto the floor and sit on top of him, hovering the broken stake over his right collar bone. He grabs the wooden leg as well and holds it slightly away from himself.

"Stop fighting back or I swear I'll put this right through your shoulder."

It almost seems as if he's having trouble keeping the stake away as it begins to shake. I can tell he's still mad but most likely because of my new and improved anger I don't care, and I don't back down.

"You're the one who didn't want to fight in the first place. You're weak. You were probably only thinking about yourself when we mentioned Klaus, you didn't even stop to think about the fact you might need to protect Jeremy fro-" Too far. I push down on the makeshift stake hard.

With a grunt he kicks me and pushes me backwards, getting to his feet but not pursuing his argument any longer. Before he can take a step I get off the ground, spin us both around and slice the stake through his right collar bone and into the wall behind him. Doubly satisfied by the surprised look on his face and using his own moves against Rebekah on himself, I twist the wood and press with my arms even harder against his chest.

"I am not weak. As a human I staked the most Originals out of all of us and saved both of your asses more than a handful of times." I hiss as I push as hard as I can against him and into the wall. The look of surprise mixed with pain never leaves his face. "Who do I have to kill to get a break around here? I've been a doppelganger for 18 years, I suggest you allow me one day of peace and quiet as a vampire." I wrench the stake out of his upper chest as he stumbles forward a bit and toss it back over near the broken table.

"Sorry about your table," I apologize to Stefan before leaving the room and heading upstairs to be alone.


	10. I Want What You Want

**Sorry if there are errors I wrote this quickly! Hope you like it.**

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Elena's POV**

I only got as far as the stairs before Stefan stood in my way.

"Elena, calm down. It's just Damon you know how he acts." Stefan puts his hands on my shoulders and in a second my mood shifts and I calm down. Did I really just spear Damon? I hang my head and look down at my shoes instead of at Stefan.

"It's fine, just come back to the living room. Please." Stefan gently tugs on my arm and I follow him back into the living room.

Damon's pouring himself another drink while holding his arm at an odd angle. He smirks as we enter the room and my guilt grows a little as I see a bloody hole in his shirt. "Well, at least we know how to provoke you into learning. I just didn't expect you to be so good." For once his smirk slides away and he's being serious.

"I'm sorry, I got pissed off." I walk over to the couch and sit once again, hoping that the lessons for today will be over. I feel slightly bad for what I did and at the same time exhilarated that for once I was able to put him in his place.

"It's fine, turns out we have weirder things to deal with." Damon polishes off the glass and pours himself another.

"Like what?" Stefan takes his place beside me once again.

Coming over to stand beside the unlit fireplace Damon drinks a little more and turns to answer Stefan. "I was actually trying."

I'm confused and have no idea what he's talking about. "Trying what?"

"Elena is stronger than you, possibly just as strong as me or more." Damon directs his response to Stefan still.

He's joking, trying to make me feel better about this whole thing. He probably knows he went too far with the Jeremy argument. I laugh out loud as I mull these things over. "No I'm not."

Again Damon looks entirely serious, and I don't know what he's getting at. "Yes you are. I could barely stop you from pushing that stake into me and to be honest I wasn't exactly calm."

"How can that be?" Stefan is looking at Damon and not at me. There has to be some hilarious joke coming. Maybe my anger gave me an edge up.

"I don't know, it doesn't make any sense. It was my blood that created Elena so there couldn't be any reason there. Do you think Bonnies done something?" As Damon and Stefan continue questioning each other and going over possible scenarios I can feel my throat start to burn.

At first it starts as a dull pain but it soon turns sharp. From somewhere in the house the smell of blood reaches me. I can feel the veins in my face start to rise and tighten. I turn to face the wall so they won't see but find myself walking out the door and following the smell. Downstairs in the basement the freezer remains closed but someone has spilled a bag of blood down the side. I pause staring at it slick down the painted metal surface.

"Elena?" I was so focused I never heard Stefan behind me. I take a few deep breathes and will away the veins on my face, thinking about anything other than blood.

"I think that feeding lesson would probably be a good idea now." I turn to face Stefan as he nods.

…

"Ew you're teaching her the bunny diet?" Damon stands in the middle of the clearing with a disgusted look on his face.

To be honest I'm wearing that disgusted face on the inside. I don't relish the thought of sinking my teeth into a furry little forest animal while it squirms. I don't voice these ideas out loud though, if Stefan can do it than so can I and it is better than the alternative.

"Shut up Damon, don't make me come over there. Again." I smile as I laugh at Damon hiding my nausea. Stefan walks around in the undergrowth and holds up a hand for us to stay still. In a flash he dips his hand into the bushes and pulls out a rabbit which is frantically trying to get away. He brings its neck up to his face and his veins start to stand out then he sinks his teeth into it.

I can't watch as he drinks its blood and so I find myself turning into the smirking face of Damon who mouths the word _Yum_. When Stefan finishes he looks at the rabbit and it calms down a bit, before he sets it on the ground and it takes off.

"Did you just use compulsion on a rabbit?" Damon laughs as he watches the rabbit take off into the distance.

"You're really not helping Damon, maybe you should just leave." Stefan wipes his hand over his mouth and turns towards me.

_Oh god it's my turn to do that_. As he walks over to me a strange noise fills the clearing. He pauses and reaches into his pocket pulling out a buzzing cell phone. I'm amazed by the fact I could hear that from such a distance. He flips it open and stares at it for a second before typing a message back and closing it.

"Uhhh, I've got to go for a bit. Damon you think you can handle this?" Stefan looks deliberately at Damon and ignores me. Where would he have to go?

"Sure, I'm positive Bugs Bunny hasn't warned all of his friends by now. I'll help her." He adds the ending with a serious face and nods towards Stefan.

As Stefan takes off out of sight I turn to Damon with a questioning look. "Where would he need to go?"

Damon just shrugs his shoulders and takes off into the woods back towards the house. I follow him and meet up with him just as he's entering the doorway. "Hey I don't mean to be annoying but my throat is getting real itchy. Where are we going?"

Damon turns and stops me from entering the doorway. "I don't eat animals, I drink human blood. If you want you can go out there and find yourself some furry creature to suck dry. Alternatively you can come inside and have a blood bag. Your call." Damon strides back into the house and heads toward the living room, leaving the door open. It takes me about ten seconds to decide to follow him into the house.

When I enter the living room Damon pours me a glass of blood and sets it down on the end table. "It'll be easier to drink it this way."

"Thanks, could we not tell Stefan about this though." I down the glass of blood quickly. It's good and a lot more appetizing than the rabbit.

Damon walks over and sits down beside me on the couch. Smirking he drinks his own glass of blood. "Stefan's going to love this. His little Elena drinking human blood and she's dangerous!" He laughs to himself and looks happy.

_You want a love that consumes you, you want passion, and adventure, and just a little bit of danger._

All of the memories come swarming back of the things I'd been compelled to forget. Twice Damon had compelled me to forget something. First he had me forget that I'd met him – before I'd even met Stefan. The second time he'd told me he loved me but that Stefan deserved me more.

"Why would you make me forget those?" Damon had been staring at me while I sat there in my dazed moment, now he looked nervous.

"Forget what?"

"You know what I'm talking about Damon. I remember what you compelled me to forget. I met you first and I just gave you that lame excuse the other day that maybe if we'd met first we'd have… Why did you make me forget?" Damon took a moment before he said anything.

"I didn't want anyone to know I was in town yet. Besides we both know it wouldn't make any difference, nothing ever will. It'll always be Stefan."

_Except that it might not_ I felt like saying. I had been grasping at straws trying to find something to make my decision easier and that had been one of the quickest helpers. Becoming a vampire flipped everything upside down. Some things were changing and I think they were only going to change more.

"Then explain why you told me you loved me and wouldn't let me remember that," I countered. If he really believed it would always be Stefan why would he even bother?

"Because Elena, I had to get it out. It doesn't matter and you didn't need to remember it and have it bother you." He gets up and walks away from me to the window. Where I follow him, standing behind him.

"It does matter. But you never answered my very first question." I smile as he turns to face me. "What do you want?" I know its flirting and I'm sure I already know the answer but I ask anyways trying to lighten the mood.

For a moment he stays still but then he takes a step forward and his face is still, my attempt to lighten the mood has had the opposite effect. I start to get nervous that he's so close but I don't move back.

"I want exactly what you want."

I try to figure this out as he moves even closer. Is he talking about the passion, adventure and danger? Or is he talking about us… He's so close and I can't see myself turning back now.

The sound of the door opening behind us makes me jump back. As I sign and turn around to greet what is most likely Stefan I run into my reflection. Except that the reflection is wearing designer clothing, six inch heels and her hair in huge curly locks.

"Aren't you two cute?" Are the first words out of Katherine's mouth followed by a dark smile.


	11. I'm Stuck

**Sorry for the break between postings. I'm finally back from vacation Enjoy!**

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Elena's POV**

_Bitch._ The entire time I've known Katherine Pierce I've had a lot of different emotions regarding her. Fear; half the time she's repressing her humanity and hurting anyone she wants to protect herself. Jealousy; she got to meet Stefan and Damon as humans and they loved her so fiercely it took their lives. Hatred; she tore the Salvatore's apart, took their lives and have put them and my family in danger multiple times. Sympathy; she didn't ask to be a doppelganger, just as I didn't, and she did the best she could with the pain and misfortune that came along with it. Seeing Katherine now as a vampire gives me the ability to feel all of these emotions simultaneously – along with others. I have the awkward urge to scratch the smug smile off her face and then shake her hand. She takes a few steps forward placing her hands on her hips and looking around. So this is what I'm supposed to look like as a vampire. Six inch high heels, designer jeans, a beautiful top and a slick leather jacket. All of this is topped off by her huge mane of curls and her annoyingly confident self-righteous face.

"Great, you've come to grace us with your ever annoying presence. You think some century you might get a life and stay away?" Damon recovers from our conversation and walks over to take a seat on the couch.

Katherine has her usual conceited retort handy but I'm no longer tuned into the conversation. Behind her Stefan slips into the room and leans against the wall a few feet away. This is where he went earlier today, I can put that much together _but why?_

"Why is she here?" I don't bother directing the question at Katherine and instead go right to the source.

Stefan looks up but doesn't answer my question. There is an odd look on his face that I don't understand.

"Oh you're here too, I almost missed you over there you're as quiet as death." Katherine smirks and finally regards me. The urge to shake her hand is definitely gone. "I see they've done a great job at keeping you safe."

Damon gives an involuntary spasm and tries to hide it by standing to pour himself another drink. Stefan sighs and looks less than thrilled at Katherine's presence, which is confusing as he brought her here.

"Well unfortunately when you hang around a family of Originals accidents happen. Of course you wouldn't know about that because you were a coward and killed yourself." I smile as my comment strikes a nerve and her smile leaves.

She stalks forward a bit and winds her way between the couches. "You've gotten awfully brave for someone who was human only a day ago. Maybe you've just forgotten who you're dealing with."

Damon and Stefan remain where they are but look slightly on edge. I decide now is as good of time as any to test Damon's strength theory. Normally self-preservation would have kicked in by now, but I seem to have left those thoughts behind for a predator approach. "I haven't forgotten. I'm dealing with an older, weaker, more selfish version of myself and you know what? I'm no longer comfortable with their being two of me so leave or you're going to really be dealt with."

Once again I'm surprised by the reaction I get as Katherine stops and puts her smile back on. She laughs as she turns around and walks back to the couch without putting up any fight. As she sits she mutters something quietly and I can only make out 'neither am I.'

Stefan finally detaches himself from the wall. "She's the only person we know who's been a doppelganger and is now a vampire. She can help with Elena." Stefan runs a hand through his hair and looks over at Damon who meets his eyes. An unspoken sentiment passes between them.

"I'm not a child just tell me what's going on?" Frustrated I walk over to the couch and take a seat next to Damon.

"Being as strong as you are is unnatural and I've never seen it before. I was worried so I got a hold of Katherine. I was hoping she could help us out since she's been through it, I wasn't sure how many other differences we might run into. How did the blood hunt go?" Stefan glances at Katherine before settling on me. His eyes are such a warm colour of brown almost golden. Immediately I feel guilty.

"It went fine." Damon answers for me and I'm happy he leaves the jokes out of it.

Katherine has become still and simply looks at me without answering any of the questions.

For a while we all sit around discussing possibilities and problems but I don't participate. I feel isolated again, not just from the human life I've left behind but from the new life I'd just begun. Of course I would have something weird and wrong with me, even as a vampire. Katherine puts in a few snippy comments and it starts to pick away at Stefan and Damon's composure. After two hours no one can stand it anymore.

"I'm going for a drink." Stefan finally cracks and walks swiftly out the front door. Katherine gets up and struts after him, "I could use a pick me up."

Damon and I stay seated on the couch but in silence. I don't have anything to say after these past two days. Everything I was is now gone and I can't get a bearing on who I'm supposed to be now. I feel overwhelmed and defeated.

"Elena, what's wrong?" I turn and see Damon looking at me with concern. I hadn't noticed that I had been crying, cold tears landing on my lap below.

"I never wanted to be a vampire Damon," I admit and the tears start to flow more quickly, "I don't know what to do. I'm not Elena Gilbert anymore. I can't grow old and have a family or live in a small town forever. People around me are going to die and I'm going to stay the same. I don't even know who I am but it won't matter because I'm stuck like this. I don't know how to do this." I realize I'm rambling but it's hard to put all of my concerns and panic into a coherent sentence. My arms are shaking as I rest them on my legs.

"Elena, Elena! Calm down." Damon grabs my face between his hands and forces me to look up at him. "You're still Elena Gilbert."

I struggle to pull away from his eyes. "No I'm not anymo-" He holds my face even tighter.

"Yes you are. You're the same girl who loves her brother and her friends and would do anything for them. You're compassionate and intelligent and just because you're a vampire now doesn't mean that's gone away. You died two days ago, and that's something that you have to deal with and adapt to but I will be right here with you while you figure it out. It doesn't matter what you do or who you become I will always be here with you." Damon looks intently at me trying to will me to believe him. He's always been there for me, and I'd always be there for him but I was still worried.

"And what will I do in this life now? If what you're saying is true and I'm still the normal me then I'll be stuck in time, never changing and never being able to achieve the things I want in life. I can't do what I wanted to do."

"Never changing?" Damon pulls back and lets out a hysterical laugh. "Look at me. When I came to Mystic Falls I would have ripped out the throat of anyone who stood in my way. Then I met you and you _made_ me change. I found people that I cared about. Not just myself and my brother but people who had no connection to me at all. You forced me to see things that I had convinced myself no longer mattered or existed. I love you Elena. You are the epitome of change and even though you may not change physically I know you can change anything else in the world that you want. You were strong as a human; I know your potential as a vampire."

There's nothing else I can say to him. I throw myself at him across the short space that separates us and grasp onto him. I bury my face in his neck and finish my crying. He simply wraps his arms around me and waits it out.

...

**Jeremy's POV**

I walk around the empty house a few times before going into the kitchen for something to eat. The house felt so empty with no one else in it. Elena had always brought laughter and brightness to it, even those days after our parents had died. Alaric even brought something to it although I'm not sure what that was. It might have been safety or friendship, or just his presence in general.

Everything was feeling empty these days. With Elena a vampire and Alaric gone those feelings had left the house. It was my job to take care of it now but there was no one else to keep it with me. Bonnie was on a crazy bender and by the sounds of it she really didn't have much regard for human life at the moment. I know I should be trying to help her and figure out what it is that's happening, but I'm so tired. I'm tired of everyone being supernatural I just wished that I could catch a break and calm down, live a bit of a regular life. Sighing, I put a slice of pizza on a plate and popped it in the microwave.

_Knock, knock, knock_.

I immediately freeze. Every nerve in my body starts to tingle. Around here a knock on your door meant one thing – more trouble. I'm just being paranoid, not everyone who knocks on your door is a dangerous murderer. Ungluing myself from the counter I walk around into the foyer and pause in front of the door. Either open it or walk away, there are only two options. I throw my hand out and pull open the door before I can thing better of it.

Standing on the porch is a girl. She looks about seventeen which long light brown hair which is slightly wavy. Her skin is tanned and she has the most piercing green eyes. She smiles and holds out a hand for me to shake. I pause as I reach up to grasp her hand. She's wearing a pair of jeans and a black jacket. She doesn't look dangerous; in fact she's pretty cute.

"Hi, I'm April. I just moved in next door."


	12. Doppelgangers

**Well I have until Wednesday and then my summer vacation is over and it's back to school. I'm in the writing mood and since I didn't update for a week I'm going to be putting up a few chapters this week. They're also going to get longer, hope that's ok! And thanks everyone for the reviews, follows, and favourites! **

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Elena's POV**

Things are spinning out of my control and for the last 18 years I have always been a control freak. I can't seem to get a grasp on anything, which is dangerous when you live in a life like mine. I sit on the edge of my bed in the spare room at the boarding house. Having calmed down from my crying and minor freak out I came up here to avoid Damon. He had said he loved me again which scared me more than I let on. I could see the hurt in his eyes when he said it, as though he needed to get it out but the second he said it he regretted having to do it. I don't want to hurt them and I hate to compare myself to Katherine, but no matter how good my intentions are compared to hers I sometimes believe the results are the same. There are so many things I have to work out and being alone will help me.

I lay back on the bed and stare at the ceiling. First of all I have become a vampire which meant that I was going to have to deal with all of the training and issues which came along with that. Ric had died because of me and we no longer had to worry about the destruction of all vampires, which reminded me – what happened to the indestructible stake? I make a mental note to ask Damon about that later. Klaus made some kind of deal with Bonnie and is now in Tyler's body. Is Tyler really dead? What's wrong with Bonnie? How long will Klaus be in that body? Now that I'm a vampire is he going to kill me like he hunted Katherine? Maybe that's why she's here, and I make another mental note to interrogate her later.

Stefan and Damon are a larger problem than what I first thought. As a human I had basically been on the brink of choosing Stefan again, but there were things I was willing to ignore to make that choice because I was human and we were on the brink of death. Damon and I spent almost a year struggling to keep our lives together when Stefan just checked out. Of course I helped him and never gave up on him or blamed him but I still wonder whether anything can ever go back to the way it was. There were too many dangers, too many complications, and I had to change to face them. So where did that leave me with them?

This is all too much and I can't sit on the bed and get overwhelmed any longer. Bolting upright I almost fall flat on my face; this new found vampire speed is still strange to me. I decide to avoid Damon downstairs and leave from the balcony. I can hear him in the basement opening the freezer. Leaning on the railing and looking down at the dark yard below I realize that I haven't seen Jeremy since this morning. This is literally the longest day of my life. I test the strength of the railing then vault over it landing softly on the lawn below. I smile to myself and jump up from my crouch quickly; _this could be easier than it looks_. I start running, reveling in how different I feel but realize that I'm not sure where it is I'm going. I slow a little but in that second I decide that the first place I'm going is to the Grill and I'm going to buy myself a large glass of bourbon.

…

"Sorry mam, no I.D. no drinks." The guy behind the bar is a bartender I've seen around here once or twice but I think he's new. If Matt were here he would serve me, but Matt's still in the hospital from the crash and mentally I kick myself for not checking up on him. There is only so much time in the day – even for vampires. Frustrated I attempt compulsion on the bartender.

"I'm sorry I've forgotten my I.D. but you know I'm old enough to drink so you'll let me anyways. I'm always here, I'm a regular." I strain my eyes and try what feels somewhat natural.

He wavers a little under my gaze before letting out a loud laugh, which instantly brings the red to my cheeks. He picks up a dishtowel, "Lady, I've only worked here a few weeks but I've been a bartender for a long time and that's not gunna work on me." The burly man thumps back over to a pile of glasses and starts drying them and putting them away.

Well that definitely didn't work. Frowning to myself I realize that I should have just gone to the house to see Jeremy and forgotten all about this sudden whim. There are only a handful of people in the bar as it's only a Tuesday night but I can hear every one of their heartbeats. My throat has been burning painfully all night and this room is slowly becoming a stifling prison. I get up and leave, resolved to visit Jeremy instead.

Walking down the dark streets I realize that there is so much more to see in the night. I can feel the animals around me and the moon glows as if it has a life force of its own. I feel much more comfortable here than I have before. The wind blows in my hair and I can feel it go through every single hair on my head. I round the corner and stop in my tracks.

Beside me there's a tall building that has cast a shadow over the road. Beside it there is an alley and I can see a set of stairs descending into what looks like the basement of the large building. I can't see anything down the alley but I can _smell him_. The smell of blood fills my senses and makes my head swirl, I don't know why but I can just tell that it's a guy. I start stalking down the alley mechanically without even looking back. As I approach the stairs I start to hear quick breathing and see the top of a dark head.

"Holy shit! You scared me half to death." The man whirls around as he hears my footsteps and stares at me with wide eyes. I don't reply to him; the only thing I can do is stare at the large gash on his leg.

After a few deep breaths he calms down. "Sorry about that. I just didn't see you there, nobody comes around here at this time. I'm uh… fine really, I just tripped coming up the stairs. I was carrying some garbage to the dumpster. I live on the bottom floor." He points his thumb behind him at the basement door. He's nervous and rambling, I can tell and I try to force my tongue to work without breathing.

"Oh… Are you sure you're okay? You're bleeding pretty badly." I need to get out of here now. I can hear his heart pumping but all I can focus on is the blood making its way through the rip in his jeans. I want to rip this guy's leg off and sink my teeth into it. I shake my head and take a step back, I need to run **now**.

"Oh geez I guess it is pretty bashed up." He looks down and pulls at the piece of ripped jeans. This is the mistake of his life, as the blood gets free of the material and runs down the outside of his jeans soaking even more of his leg. This is the worst thing he can do. He doesn't even see it coming. I grab him by the front of his grey shirt, spin him and lift him a foot above the stairs. His eyes are wide and he chokes unable to scream, scratching at my arms, but that doesn't stop me. I pull him close and sink my teeth into the side of his neck. The blood is warm and flows freely, it is ten times more alluring than a glass of blood from a blood bag, it's basically tastes like heaven – or hell. It's like this man's life is flowing over my lips and down my throat. There's a quote from George R.R. Martin which states that a reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, the man who never reads lives only one. This comes to mind as I'm ripping at the man's throat and believe that I can taste the entire life that he has lived. Ironically I think that if I drank from a thousand men it would be a variation – although a very dark one – of that quote. My hysterical and murderous thought is sharply cut off.

There's a slam and I fly through the air smashing into the huge metal dumpster with a loud crash. Struggling to my feet and getting ready to defend myself I look up to see that I'm still grasping the guy by the shoulders. _What…_ It's Katherine and she's inspecting the side of the guy's neck. I can still taste his warm blood. I sit back down on the ground, wipe my mouth and hug my knees to myself in an attempt to calm down and control my thirst. The horrible sensation of losing control has passed and I can feel my face changing back to what it should be. Mostly I'm horrified.

"Is he going to be alright?" My voice is barely a whisper and it hitches a little when I ask. I don't want to kill anyone. I take a few deep breaths trying to calm down.

"He's gunna be fine. Aren't you? You fell down the stairs and you hit your knee and neck. You're not going to go to the hospital because you know they will be fine. You'll bandage them up or find someone off duty to fix them for you. You won't remember me or my friend because you were alone when it happened. Now go inside." She finishes staring at him and lets go of his shoulders. He mumbles yes and turns around going back into his building, blood all over the front of his shirt.

"Are you sure he'll be alright? Why are you doing this?" My voice has come back a bit and I stare at Katherine. There's no air of arrogance or sarcasm on her face.

"You would have been upset if you killed him," is all she says. She turns to me and seems to hesitate for a second, and then Katherine does the most amazing thing. She pulls up her designers jeans a bit from her high heels and sits down cross legged on the dirty ground in front of me.

"I can't believe I did that, I could have killed him. I should have fought harder and just left the alley. I nearly ripped his throat out." For the second time today I feel tears on my face, I'm not embarrassed to cry in front of Katherine but I feel weak as a vampire in general.

Katherine gives a small laugh and I considered getting up and leaving, but when I look up into her face she seems worried instead of haughty. "No vampire your age would have been able to resist even entering the Grill with those humans, let alone someone who was bleeding. It's in their nature you know."

"You've been following me. Why? And I know it's in our nature I'm not stupid." Her tone is bothering me and the fact she is sitting here with me is starting to creep me out. I'm getting a strange feeling about Katherine and it isn't the usual hatred or annoyance.

"I said it's in _their _nature Elena; vampires."

Now she is really starting to worry me, looking at me and waiting. A bit of her usual arrogance has entered her tone.

"… yeah, vampires – like us." I say it automatically, hoping that this conversation will drop or that she'll stop acting so peculiar and just explain herself.

"You assume that we're vampires because we were turned by vampire blood. But even before we were vampires we already had a supernatural claim. We're not like witches, we don't just change from one team to the other." Her smirk appears and I attempt to take in the meaning of her explanation. "We're doppelgangers Elena, through and through."

Finally I understand the meaning of her speech and even the reason she's here. The unusual strength, apparently being able to restrain myself easier… I wonder what other things I have yet to learn about doppelganger/vampires. "What else makes us different from vampires?"

"That is what I'm here to teach you, you'd better get some paper because it won't be a short list."

And to think I started this night out with what I thought was an already impossible list of problems.

…

**Damon's POV**

She's been up there for at least an hour and I have no idea what to do about it. I pace back in forth in the living room imagining a little path being worn into the Persian rug. I'm on my fourth drink of the night and it really isn't working. I put my glass down and keep pacing. I shouldn't have said I loved her again, really I was only hurting myself and I'm not sure how much longer I can go on like this. She'd never once told me she loved me only that she 'cared for me,' but I had to be an idiot and keep saying it to her as if it would cure everything. She had been driving back to Stefan when she died.

I crush that thought and stop my pacing. I'm literally going insane. There were other things that mattered right now and this wasn't the time to check out and go on some emotional and philosophical bender. I'm not Stefan.

I decide it's time to check on her and make sure she's alright after her earlier outburst. She needed some time and I let her have it, but time was up and we had things to do. As I walked up the stairs I found myself wondering what it would be like if we had no problems in our lives. Maybe the only thing I'd have to worry about was finding a new drinking buddy and making sure Jeremy didn't burn down his newly inherited house. It was when I reached the top of the stairs that I realized nobody was up here. Running to the spare room Elena called her own I knew it was empty, but I had to check. The glass doors to the balcony were still open. _Okay, calm down. She's a vampire now not a fragile human. She probably just left to check on Jeremy_. Repeating this over and over again, I took off outside and got in my car.

When I got to the Gilbert house I was treated to the surprise of seeing Jeremy on the front porch with a girl. I parked down the road a bit and waited while they talked. Jeremy for once was smiling and the girl seemed to be pretty relaxed and happy as well. After five or so minutes Jeremy walked her to the house next door and started on his way back. As I pulled into the driveway I could tell he was already trying to hide his smile.

"Who's your new lady friend?" I ask immediately as soon as I've got out and closed the door.

Jeremy walks to the porch before answering me and I follow him up. "Her name is April and she just moved in next door. Nice to have someone around here who isn't trying to kill me." To be honest, I had been thinking the exact same thing.

"Yea well that's not what really matters." As we walk inside he turns to look at me quizzically. "What matters is that she's attractive." I smirk and walk past him to take a seat on the couch. As I look around I can tell that Elena's not here, I panic a little but for some reason sitting here with Jeremy isn't so bad and I calm down a little.

He laughs a bit before sitting down too. "If you're looking for Elena she's not here." He never misses a beat, and maybe it's because he's so alike Elena that he doesn't annoy me like most humans do. "I was hoping she'd be by sometime today. How is she?"

"She's good actually. It's weird but she'll get used to everything and being around here will help her out. I'm hoping we can figure out half of our other problems fast so she doesn't have to deal with them. Don't tell Stefan but I think she plans on drinking blood bags." I'm not sure why I let him in on that secret but these Gilbert's were always throwing me off.

"Yeah, I kind of figured she would. Well first I thought she would try Stefan's way, because you know, that's what she does." I know exactly what he means.

"When I find her we'll come back here and visit tonight, if you're not going to bed anytime soon. Maybe we can stay here tonight." I get up and walk toward the door, although I'm a little calmer and not hysterical about Elena – yet – I am worried. I'll call Blondie and Stefan, and if she isn't with them and they don't know where she is she has to be at the Grill or the hospital. My panic starts to set in again as I wonder about what trouble she might have gotten into. She's only just been turned and although she's a vampire now she's still our Elena, and just harming anyone would kill her. Before I reach the door Jeremy interrupts me.

"Um, when you do get back could you do me a favour? Not when Elena's around though and can you promise not to tell her? Please." I turn and see him staring at me a little awkwardly.

"And what's that?" Great, now I'm going to have to worry about Elena and some possibly dangerous master scheme that Jeremy is clearly planning.

"Uh…" He scratches the back of his head a bit and looks anywhere but at me. "Can you check out the girl next door and make sure she isn't a psycho or a werewolf or anything. Don't let on that you're doing it but… well I'd like to make sure and around here you really never know." He finally looks at me and smiles sheepishly.

I laugh and nod, "One background check, coming up." _Now this_, _I can do_.


	13. What Did I Do To Deserve You?

**Thanks everyone for the reviews Here's another update and I know the Delena stuff has been slow but I'm trying to be realistic here, there's no way Elena's just going to jump into Damon's bed and Damon wouldn't just start buying her flowers and cooking dinner. But don't worry it's going to start getting better soon! And the rest of the characters are going to start having their own issues soon as well. If you guys want to help with the story let me know who you think might be a good romance for Stefan should him and Elena not work out.. ;)**

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Elena's POV**

So doppelganger vampires can't turn off their emotions, we have no switch so to speak, and we must constantly live with whatever emotions we face. This is one of the most surprising things Katherine tells me, especially since it means that Katherine somehow finds the strength to deal with all of the pain she has caused. After nearly killing the man in the alley I straightened myself out and Katherine offered to buy me a drink at the Grill. She laughed at my earlier attempts to get a drink, which was embarrassing, but she quickly reigned herself in. This new side of Katherine is seriously scaring me and for the fifth time this night I wonder if this entire thing is a joke or a set up.

"Tell me something else? I still feel as though this entire thing is a joke." I down another shot and put the glass back on the counter. I've had twice the normal amount and yet I don't feel a thing.

Katherine laughs at my enthusiasm and orders another round of shots. However looking over at me her expression sobers. "I know this is probably weird to hear but it's not like I could tell you this before. I'll tell you something that is incredibly important but first you have to understand something – you can't tell anyone about any of this. Not Stefan or Damon or Jeremy, no one. This is something that stays between who we are and trust me it's dangerous if it gets out all right?" Her tone is deadly and she looks at me sharply.

"All right, I'll keep it to myself."

"You know about the first doppelganger, Tatia? Klaus and Elijah were both in love with her and Esther had her killed, using her blood to make the sun and the moon curse. Her blood was also in the wine that the Originals drank which turned them into vampires." She looks at me with a hard stare to see if I'm following, I simply nod.

"You probably know a lot about magic from Bonnie. Think you know what happens when a witch tips the balance in her favour, say to make her children immortal?" Her intense gaze continues.

"Nature finds a way of balancing back?" From what Bonnie has told me there is always a loophole to a curse, always a way to keep things even. Sometimes different people influence the balance and sometimes nature seems to do it on its own. "That's where white oak stakes and vervain come from, they were in the original spell."

Katherine downs her shot and nods, staring at the bar at no spot in particular. I finish my shot as well before she finally continues. "We were in that spell too." That's all Katherine says, when I open my mouth to question her she puts a hand up and shakes her head quickly. I'm dying to ask her how we fit into this but at that moment I see Damon enter the door.

"Later," is all she says before ordering us three more shots.

It takes Damon less than 5 seconds to spot us, I can see the expressions cross his face. First his eyes widen and relief and happiness sweep his face. This look is hard to see because I know I'm the cause of it, and I shouldn't be the one who brings this look to both brothers. Next his eyes slide to the seat beside me and his happiness sours. Then finally as he looks around and realizes where we are a look of confusion crosses his face. He saunters his way over and takes the seat on my other side.

"Care to join us?" I slide one of the three shots over to him.

"I've been looking for you," he smirks as he drinks. "I didn't expect her to try to corrupt you so fast."

"Please, I have better things to do with my time." Katherine stands and finishes her drink, then turns to me. "I'll talk to you later. You know you should probably lay low, I'm sure there are people looking to plan you a welcome home party." With another hard stare she turns and leaves.

For a few minutes I just stare at the shot glass in front of me. How am I supposed to hide this from everyone? Unfortunately, I'm going to have to try.

"We probably should leave. I don't know who's out there now. Klaus has been lying low but who knows what he's up to next." I attempt to stand up averting his eyes but he grabs my arms.

"How are you doing this?" His question scares me and makes me question my act, has he figured everything out already? He has an uncanny knack for knowing when I'm hiding something or lying.

"Doing what?" I swallow and try to clear my expression.

"How are you sitting in a room full of beating hearts and not struggling to rip them out?" He looks around and then stares back at me.

I think frantically trying to come up with some excuse but I can't think of any. This is Damon and he always seems to notice everything. Katherine told me that it would be easier than usual for me to resist blood and that normal vampires that are newly created are at least five times more blood crazed than I am. She figured that in normal time, I was about 50 years into being a vampire. She attempted to explain how our supernatural blood gave us the ability to be better prepared, but she lost me in the explanation.

"You know how it's weird that I'm almost as strong as you are?" Damon nods still staring at me intently. "Well this is another weird thing to. Just trust me right now, and don't ask me to explain it because I can't."

For a minute he just stares at me and opens his mouth a few times, and then he decides to be quiet and just smiles. "Well if we have to hide out why don't we take the party with us."

…

"You sure you're cool?" Jeremy pours himself another glass of something that is definitely not juice.

"Nobody ever said she was cool." Damon jokes and everyone laughs. I attempt to put on a hurt expression but I'm too happy.

"Hey – give me a break, and Jeremy I'm going to pretend I don't see you drinking that. I'm fine, it's not like I'd rip out my own brother's throat. That would be very rude of me and I'm sure your new friend wouldn't like it." I smile at Jeremy and I can see he's surprised.

"Damon what the hell, you said you weren't going to tell!" Damon just laughs and shakes his head, "Wasn't me."

"Oh wow, it's all over your face. When she walked out to the end of the driveway to put out garbage you practically tripped over your own feet to go help her." Caroline laughs and dances over with a bottle of wine in her hand.

Damon wasn't joking when he suggested taking the party with us. Instead of just going over and spending time with Jeremy we called up Caroline, Meredith, and Matt. Caroline was looking for every reason to drown out and ignore the entire Tyler situation, and she was more than happy to do that by having a party. Meredith had been inducted as one of us now and she was always in need of a good drink. Matt looked better and happy to be out of the hospital for good. The only problem with our party was that it was missing both Bonnie and Stefan. It's not like we could invite Bonnie over and hope she didn't attempt to kill any of us. Stefan hadn't answered his phone and no one was sure where he had gone. Still, we knew how to have fun.

So far we'd been able to eat snacks, play music, and drink through most of the stash we had retrieved from the boarding house without discussing any of the numerous issues at hand. It was like a little slice of peace in the middle of a war. I really didn't want it to stop.

"You know this is fun, but there are still things we can't ignore. What do we do about those?" Jeremy asks looking around the room from his spot on the chair. I can't help but feel a sting of pride that my brother is so mature and responsible. This is accompanied by a bit of sadness at all of the circumstances that have forced him into it.

"Jeremy your being a party pooper. Tonight we dance, tomorrow we fix the world." Caroline does a pirouette in the air, still grasping the bottle in her hands. I can feel myself getting slightly dizzy and mentally take note of how many drinks it's taken. Probably enough to kill a human.

"For once, I totally agree with you." Damon gets up and starts dancing around with Caroline twirling her in circles as she laughs. I feel a twinge of jealousy but ignore it. Standing up with my own drink I join them and soon everyone – including Matt is dancing around and laughing.

As Jeremy and Caroline start to argue over the obviousness of his crush and Meredith quizzes Matt on how he's feeling I decide to take a break and sit down, Damon follows me.

"Is Stefan avoiding me?" The question even surprises myself but for some reason it clicks that maybe that's what has been going on.

"No, he's just being Stefan. Probably out selling Girl Guide cookies." He jokes but there's something still not right.

"But he keeps mysteriously leaving. When I turned he didn't come back from Klaus' for a while and then never told us what he had been doing. He left before I hunted and then left again when Katherine arrived." I can't shake the feeling that it does have something to do with me. Stefan would rarely ever leave when there was something dangerous happening, and now it seems as though he seizes every opportunity to leave.

"Look he may be annoying and broody but he… loves you, and his actions caused your death. You know how emotional he is, I imagine every time he sees you he's wallowing in his own pain and self-pity." Damon looks uncomfortable and I take a second to think it over. He's probably right about Stefan, he'll be blaming himself over and over right now.

"It isn't his fault though, I would have been angry for a very long time if he had let Matt die. He'd already saved me once and maybe it was just my time. To be honest I'd forgotten all about the blood earlier, but I'm still alive and there isn't any reason for anyone to feel guilty. I should probably tell him that myself." Damon nods but doesn't answer, and I can imagine he still blames Stefan for what happened.

"C'mon, enough of the boring stuff." I stand and hold out my hand to Damon, who smirks before taking it and joining everyone again.

By the time three a.m. rolls around there still hasn't been any sign Stefan. Matt's asleep on the couch and Meredith is passed out in a chair, sleeping while sitting up. Jeremy's still awake but barely, watching tv and drooling a little. Caroline head's upstairs and stumbles into Ric's old room, I can hear her as she falls on the bed and begins to breathe heavily. I try to pour myself another glass but end up spilling half of whatever I'm pouring. Damon laughs at me and takes the unidentified bottle away.

"I don't think you need any more of that. You know if the cops every came in here they would think at least 50 people had been here partying. That's one of the downfalls of being a vampire, alcohol just doesn't work as quickly." He puts the bottle in a pile with the others.

"That's like the worst downfall." I can hear my words slurred a bit. "The blood part isn't horrible and it's pretty awesome that I can do all of these things."

Damon laughs at me again. "The blood part isn't horrible eh. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, you were always a strange one." I ignore his comment and try not to get into that conversation.

"Yeah, I think I'm gunna go to bed." As I try to hop off the stool my foot slips and suddenly Damon's got a hold of me, only a foot off the ground. I struggle as I try to get myself free of his grip. "Damon leggo, I'm fine I can walk."

As quickly as he stopped me from falling he scoops me up to carry me. "Elena, you've had too much."

I give up and wrap my arms around his neck leaning my head back to stare at the ceiling. When we get to the stairs Damon starts to struggle with his balance. "Oh my god, you've had just as much as me." I laugh at his attempts not to fall over and I can feel him laughing beneath me as he struggles. When we finally get to the landing he loses his balance and we smash into the frame on my bedroom door. I shush Damon as he starts laughing again.

**Caroline's POV**

A loud crashing noise wakes me up. After lifting my head and taking a second to remember where I am I realize that I passed out as soon as I laid down. Groaning I roll over and peel the blanket back getting underneath, not bothering to change my clothes. My head is throbbing slightly. I sink into the pillows and try to get back to sleep but I can hear Elena and Damon in her room.

"Where are my p.j's can you see them?" Elena's question is followed by a string of giggling from both of them.

"Ugh! Get off them, I know you're sitting on them." There's a bang as I hear the bathroom door close. I sigh and curl my arm under the pillow hoping that sleep will find me soon. Unfortunately, a few minutes later I hear the click of the door and a quiet creak as Elena gets into bed.

"I know Stefan is avoiding me and I don't think it's because he feels bad, not entirely."

"Well if he is then he's a fool, no matter why he's doing it."

There's another quiet laugh and I punch my pillow, hoping either sleep will come quicker or they'll hear me. It feels awkward to be listening in.

"What did I do to deserve you Damon?" There's a long pause before he answers.

"I ask myself the same question about you all that time."

Oh geez, I really don't want to hear this. I squeeze my eyes tightly and resolve to ignore the conversation. After a few seconds I realize that their conversation has ended and I can hear sounds - they're kissing.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." I'm surprised to hear Elena apologizing.

"It's... Fine." I've never heard Damon sound like this. He sounds out of breathe and so young.

"It isn't fine, it's horrible. I don't want to keep doing this but then I just do."

"Elena one of your best attributes is your compassion. I know you don't do anything to be cruel or selfish. You're not Katherine."

"But I've hurt you so much, and I just continue to do it."

"Just forget it, I'm going to go downstairs now so you can get some sleep."

I can hear rustling as Damon gets up but Elena interrupts him.

"Please, I know I don't have the right to ask but can you stay?"

The bed rustles again and after a few minutes I can hear heavy breathing. I still feel embarrassed at what I've heard but I also feel as though I understand a bit better. My relationship isn't the only painful one under this roof. With that I fall asleep.


	14. It's Time For Answers

**Today was my first day of third year and although I have tonnes of work this was much more interesting to write. Something seriously strange is going to happen soon (not letting on if its good or bad) so I'm preparing for that this chapter. Enjoy:P And thanks everyone for the reviews, don't forget to let me know who you think might be a good love distraction should Stefan ever need one! Heck you can let me know of any cool twists and turns you think the characters should take, and I'll consider them in the story:P**

**I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Jeremy's POV**

"Alright, enough waiting around it's time to get back to work." Caroline's chipper attitude fills up the kitchen like a too bright ray of sun.

"Ugh, please don't talk so loudly." I groan and sit back in my chair trying to block out the headache by covering my eyes, which doesn't work.

The evidence of last night's destruction lays scattered around the kitchen. Matt and Meredith look to be in pretty rough shape. Caroline, Damon and Elena don't seem to have any hangover but nobody would ever classify them as 'okay'. Caroline has a grim determination in her eyes but she still looks broken down from Tyler. Damon and Elena are quiet and haven't said more than two words this morning. It feels like we just came back from a funeral.

"Caroline's right we have things to do. This break from reality has been great but we don't have any time to be sitting around here dreaming. Klaus hasn't killed us yet and we need to find out why, and Bonnie needs to be brought back from the dark side. There's also the issue of Tyler that needs to be figured out." Elena casts a furtive glance at Caroline who loses her chipper attitude as quick as it started and gives a curt nod. For some reason I feel there is more meaning behind Elena's speech than there's supposed to. Now it's Damon's turn to look grim.

"Matt, Meredith – you don't have to be in on this if you don't want to. You can leave now and forget about this." Damon looks serious and says it quietly to them. Both of them shake their heads but Matt is the one who speaks, "No, we're in this with you."

"Well what do you want to deal with first?" Elena asks the room in general, but avoids looking towards Damon. I try to get a puzzled look at him but he seems to be staring at the wall intently. It's not difficult to imagine what has happened but I spare them any further pain and decide to drop it.

"I want to have a proper burial for Ric and then I need to call that list of numbers he gave me." I think that it's only the right thing to do. If we can deal with Ric then maybe we can move on and conquer bigger things.

Damon is the one who gets everything arranged which makes sense to me because Ric was one of Damon's only friends. Stefan finally makes an appearance and we all convene in the graveyard next to the Gilbert family plots. I'm not sure how Damon managed it but he gets a plot, headstone and casket. It feels right this way, not shameful like a shallow grave along the side of the road. I don't ask them if Ric's body is in the casket or where they had it stashed for the last few days because I really don't want to know. The only this that is wrong is that Bonnie is missing and I make a silent wish that whatever's happened to her we can resolve it. After saying a few words we all agree to meet back at the boarding house and Elena and I say our own goodbyes once everyone is gone. I try to get her to talk but she argues that she doesn't have anything to say.

…

**Caroline's POV**

I know when we get to the boarding house we're going to talk about him and this thought has me preoccupied and confused.

"Um, Caroline you missed the road – it was back there." Matt's voice from beside me shakes me out of my own head and I turn around.

"Sorry, just have a lot on my mind." I try to give a smile but it doesn't fit properly on my face and I give up. As we pull up to the boarding house I feel my anxiety growing and I try to shake the feeling. _What are you doing Caroline, where did your renewed confidence from this morning go_? I shake my head again and square my shoulders walking through the door.

It takes several minutes before we're all together and then several more minutes until someone can think of something to say.

"I think we should divide and conquer. Some of us can deal with Bonnie while the rest try to figure out what's going on with Klaus/Tyler. We should work on Bonnie first because she seems to be teaming up with him, so she may know what's going on. Just remember that there's a possibility that she's just as dangerous as he is." Elena snaps out of it faster than the rest of us and takes charge, with her own renewed sense of confidence. "Team Bonnie should mostly consist of humans since she seems to have an aversion to the rest of us at the moment, but at least one vampire should be with them." After several seconds of no volunteers she continues. "I think Jeremy, Matt, Damon and Stefan should try to get to Bonnie. Caroline, Meredith and I can spy on Klaus."

My jaw drops in surprise as an automatic outburst ensues. "What? That makes no sense, Bonnie doesn't even like us right now at least you and Caroline were friends with her and there's no way you're going after Klaus by your selves." Damon is the first one to argue as usual followed by Stefan. "He's right we should be the ones to go after Klaus and Bonnie won't listen to us."

"Stop." Elena's voice cuts off any other objections and I'm eager to hear her reasoning because to be honest I have no idea why she would ask me to be on Team Klaus.

"We need someone to make sure Jeremy and Matt aren't hurt because at the moment Bonnie seems to be more of a threat than Klaus. She believes what she's doing is for humans sake which means that they have to be protected. You can stay at a distance if you want or try to approach her with them it doesn't matter to me. Caroline has to be the one who helps deal with Klaus. Meredith is still on the council and Ric didn't out her to the others, we need to find out what's happening there. Since she's less conspicuous Klaus won't know she's with us either and she can ask Mrs. Lockwood if Tyler's been hanging around. I'm still the key to whatever plans he has which is obvious since he hasn't killed me, so I'm pretty sure he won't try. We'll be fine." To be honest Elena's reasoning sounds perfectly sound to me and I'm happy that she knows how important it is for me to focus on Klaus and not Bonnie without me even having to tell her. Of course this doesn't stop the objections from the Salvatore's.

"Why can't one of us help with Bonnie and the other help with Klaus?" Stefan's suggestion only helps to stir up more arguments between the two of them as to who would help with which. After bickering for another ten minutes Elena interrupts once again, "Alright, enough. You guys both go with Jeremy and Matt, we'll wait here. When you get back we'll figure out who goes to spy on Klaus. We're wasting too much time this way."

After another few minutes of bickering everyone finally agreed, although some were less thrilled than others. Meredith left to meet with the council and talk to Mrs. Lockwood, and Jeremy, Matt, Damon and Stefan started to plot different places Bonnie could be. "Why don't we just chose the obvious place and check the school first? Just because none of us have gone back to school doesn't mean everyone else is off." Jeremy's suggestion is the best one they have and I sit on the couch watching them scramble off to gather things they might need.

"Where's Elena?" Stefan takes a break from their preparations and comes to sit down beside me.

"She's in the shower, are you guys almost ready?" I try not to look apprehensive as I ask.

"Yea we'll be leaving in a minute. Is Elena okay? She seems off today." I can see the worry on his serious-Stefan face.

"She's been through a lot, I'm sure it will be better once we figure this all out." I try once again to give an encouraging smile but it's hard to smile to the world when you're crying to yourself. I don't say any more about Elena and thankfully Stefan doesn't ask. The boys finish getting ready and leave promising to stay in touch and let us know about Bonnie. Suddenly Elena is in front of me, fully dressed and clearly not post-shower.

"What are you doing? I thought you were in the shower."

"Well I wasn't, get ready we're going to see Klaus." Elena turns to leave but I grab her arm.

"We can't go see Klaus, you just promised them we'd wait! What's really going on here?" I try to think of different arguments to stop her but it's hard when I don't understand why she wants to go in the first place. The rest of them will probably kill me if I let her go.

"I don't want to go with them okay; I just want to be away from them right now." Her pained expression tells me that she isn't talking about Jeremy or Matt, but before I can ask why she continues, "Look do you want to try and save Tyler or no? It has to be you and me." For a second I consider screaming at her for sinking that low, but her expression is serious.

"Let's go."

…

**Elena's POV**

I can't keep doing this, but I'm so tired of hurting them. When I woke up this morning I remembered what I'd done the night before and the look in Damon eyes. All I do is continue to hurt both of them, and remind them that at one point in time Katherine ripped both their hearts out. Now here I am; I look identical to her and I'm doing the exact same thing.

How much more can they take before they turn on each other? Sometimes I think about how much easier it would be if Damon never would have shown up in Mystic Falls… Then I think back to all of those times Damon had my back, when he stayed and helped me when Stefan was gone, and then I wonder what it would be like if Stefan never would have come to Mystic Falls. In the end I always argue my way back to the exact same point we're at now – a strange impasse and unstable relationship between all of us. How much more can I take of this?

Fighting down the urge to sit in a corner and cry I focus on the road as we drive. It didn't take much convincing to get Caroline to agree to go see Klaus with me. I should feel bad about the way that I convinced her to go but I really don't. I think that there's a good chance Caroline and I can find out more about Klaus than Stefan and Damon can, and not by spying on him either. We're going to go right up to his front door.

"Well we're here. Let's get this crazy plan of yours over. You do know it's crazy right?" Caroline pulls up in front of the huge house and we walk up to the French doors in silence. Silently hoping that Rebekah has left the country I ring the doorbell. The fact that I'm even bothering to ring the bell is only a gesture of privacy and respect, not that I truly feel either of these for Klaus. No human lives here and I could easily barge in and start asking questions, only that's the way Stefan and Damon would do it and I'm certain that I'll get more answers to those questions if I ask them correctly. Even though I've seen him before I'm still not ready for the sight as the door opens.

Standing on the other side of the door is Tyler who's wearing clothes that are a little more put together than usual. If you didn't know what was going on you would suspect that he'd been at a dinner party. Only a brief second later Tyler's face lights up with the creepiest Klaus smile and _anyone_ would be able to clearly tell that something was wrong. Caroline tenses as Klaus looks us over.

"Well, what a surprise to see you two here," he looks around behind us for dramatic effect, "and no entourage. How unusual." For a moment I reconsider my entire plan, thinking of how difficult this will be for Caroline and how dangerous Klaus is, but I quickly gain my composure.

"We've come to talk to you by ourselves. Can we come in?" I meet his eyes and make my voice sound kind but determined. I refuse to allow myself to look weak or scared under his gaze any longer. Becoming a vampire has given me a bit of strength in myself; I just hope that I haven't put too much confidence in it. Klaus steps aside, "Come on in."

I walk past him without looking back but as I pass I can see a glint of anger in his eyes and I know I'm going to have to be careful with what I say. He's lost the ability to make hybrids and he wasn't exactly a fan of me in the first place. He hunted Katherine for hundreds of years simply out of spite.

"Is there somewhere we can sit and talk?" I turn to ask him. Caroline is inching along behind me and staying as far away from Klaus as possible, which seems to make him even more on edge.

"You can join the rest of us; we were just about to have an important discussion I'm sure you'll want to hear." He starts walking down the hallway and I follow at a distance behind him, my shoes clicking on the white marble floor which only a few days earlier was covered with the blood of my brother.

"The rest of us? Who else are you talking about?" I try very hard not to sound worried.

"Elena." A figure steps out of a large doorway ahead of Klaus, clad in a very expensive black suit and leather shoes. I instantly freeze as the figure reaches a hand into his pocket, "I'm so sorry."


	15. We're Nature's Balance

**You guys either pay attention to detail or your all just crazy vampire diaries fans haha, you definitely guessed right! If Damon never existed I would be rooting for Elena and Elijah, fortunately he does exist and he's an awesome character. I've spent the day watching Delena best moments on youtube from season 3 and have some awesome ideas for them getting together, which by the way will be coming soon! But first you're going to have to see a little more Stelena and a LARGE fight…**

**Elena's POV**

Elijah steps forward and takes his hand out of his pocket, still staring at me intently. There's sadness on his face as he meets up with Klaus, Caroline and I in the hallway.

"I made a promise to you and my sister blindly lashed out and ended your life and for that I am deeply sorry. I know there's no consolation in being forced into this life but you will make a trustworthy and compassionate immortal, I know this." Elijah reaches out and holds something in his hand which I pick up and look over. It's a very beautiful and ornate ring with a lapis lazuli stone in it much like Stefan, Damon, and Caroline's rings. This one is slightly different as it is smaller and more delicate with very elaborate twists and patterns which almost look like vines and flowers; it is made out of silver. Engraved on the side are the words, "Finis tantum inceptio est."

"What's this?" I ask Elijah and see Caroline staring over my shoulder at it as well.

"It's a daylight ring that I convinced your friend Bonnie to enchant. I notice that you are wearing your mother's necklace. I thought you might appreciate this ring more. The words are Latin for _the end is just the beginning_."

It's true that I'm not thrilled about wearing my mother's necklace, which mostly brings up bad memories of her being a horrible person and the fact that Bonnie actually helped makes the ring mean even more to me. The words engraved on it are another story, I can't decide if they are supposed to be positive – like there's so much more out there that's waiting now, or a warning – like the idea that being a vampire is a curse and it only gets worse as time goes on. I guess that's a reflection of how I feel about turning into a vampire and I decide that the engraved words are perfect. Slipping the ring on to my ring finger on my right hand I look up to smile at Elijah. At the same time I feel an odd slight vibration from the ring and glance down at it again before looking up. This time Elijah catches my eye with a smile and a small nod. I'm not sure what it is he's trying to communicate but my instinct tells me not to bring it up in front of Klaus, so I smile and ignore my other questions.

"It's beautiful, thank you."

"This is fun but I've gotten rather tired of being in this body and I'd like to get on with it." Klaus stalks down the hall and Caroline is immediately following him. I catch up as they enter the large doorway that Elijah appeared from a few minutes before. The room looks to be a large sitting room which has been entirely emptied out except for a few chairs along the walls. In the very middle of the room there's a large white sheet with Klaus' body lying on it. Caroline is already questioning Klaus.

"You're returning to your body? What's going to happen to Tyler's?" Klaus walks around his own body and pays no attention to Caroline's frantic questions. There's a large burnt hole on the front of his bodies shirt but other than that his body looks intact.

"There's something we must discuss before this though." Elijah addresses Klaus and finally he looks up from his body. "I know you've come here to figure out what you turning into a vampire will mean for you and your family." Elijah motions for me to sit in one of the chairs and takes one of his own.

"Well Klaus spent several hundred years hunting Katherine for the same reason, so I expected something bad to come of it." I still watch Klaus cautiously because really at any moment he could just speed over and pull my heart out or cut off my head… I've seen it happen before and I wouldn't even be able to blink first.

"Klaus and I have agreed that no harm will come to you in retaliation for what has happened. It was our family's fault that you had to transition and we promise that you and your friends will not be harmed for this." Elijah looks over to Klaus who nods and repeats, "I give you my word that I will not harm you or any of your friends in retaliation for this." I think like a lawyer and realize that there are several ways in which he could harm me and my friends for other reasons, but I decide that this promise is as good as I'm going to get. I thank them both.

"Rebekah has fled for now, but my promise extends to her as well. I will keep her under control." Elijah also adds.

Bonnie choses that moment to enter the room.

"All right I'm ready." She acts as though she doesn't see us when she walks in and instead goes over to kneel beside Klaus' body and begin placing candles.

"Bonnie, what's going to happen to Tyler's body?" Caroline looks as though she'd like to go over and shake Bonnie until she answers. I grab her arm and give her a look and she calms down a bit but not much.

"Look I'm going to put Klaus back into his own body. I don't know what's going to happen to Tyler, his spirit is either gone, lingering around, or maybe even hiding out in Klaus' body. He might find his way back to his body, or he may be gone from this world." Bonnie doesn't look up or sound emotional in any way. She continues placing the candles around the large sheet and sprinkles water around as well.

Caroline starts fuming as soon as Bonnie ends her explanation. "You did this to him without even knowing what was happening to him? Didn't you care that his spirit could end up lost wandering the earth?" She starts yelling and I have to struggle to hold onto her arm. As soon as her anger came on it's gone and is replaced by sadness as she sinks down to her knees and begins to cry. I help her over to a chair and try to comfort her as Bonnie continues placing things for her spell – never bothering to give Caroline an answer.

"Bonnie this isn't you. Please, think about what you've done." I try to get her attention and get sympathy or guilt from her but I only get irritation and her head snaps up as she mutters, "I'm busy right now."

I give up and sit down beside Caroline to watch. Once she's finished placing everything Bonnie orders Klaus to lay down beside his body on the floor. Then she begins to chant, and it sounds different than usual. The words seem sharper and more complicated, they sound unnatural coming from Bonnie. The candles flame up as usual, but the water she's spread is different. It ignites at Tyler's head and circles around the two bodies slowly – like lighting a trail of gasoline in slow motion. It finally reaches the head of Klaus' real body which gives a shudder as Tyler's body arcs and then slumps down to the floor. Caroline's crying increases and she starts shaking herself. Bonnie stops chanting and the flames die on the candles and the water. For a few seconds nothing happens but then Klaus' eyes open and Bonnie walks out of the room. I can't hold Caroline any longer as she throws herself onto the floor beside Tyler's body. I join her and try to calm her down, examining Tyler at the same time. His eyes remain closed; Klaus gets up and stretches, "Much better."

"Tyler? Please wake up." Caroline starts to shake him and I know that there's no hope. Both Klaus and Elijah leave the room, although I'm sure both do it for different reasons. Caroline's still shaking Tyler and she's crying so hard that her tears are falling all over him. I try to hug her and calm her down but I know she won't be okay. "Tyler!" At this point I have no idea what to do, and I just sit beside Caroline crying with her.

Then Tyler's eyelids flutter. Caroline's too hysterical to notice as she clutches onto the front of his shirt and cries but I see them. I rush to his other side and lift his head off the floor, "Tyler can you hear me?" Caroline looks up and for a moment I think she might rip my head off but then she looks down and his eye lids flutter once more.

"Oh my god, is he alive?" She cups his head between her hands and his eyes fully open this time. "Tyler?"

"Caroline?" I move back as she gives a shriek and gathers him roughly into her arms to hug him. Soon they're both crying together and kissing. I give Caroline a smile and tell Tyler that I'm happy he's alright, then wipe my eyes and leave the room so they can have time to themselves. As I'm leaving I catch sight of Bonnie in the next room over - standing and looking out one of the windows.

I walk up behind her and try to make enough noise so that I won't seem like a threat to her. She doesn't turn around but I talk to her anyways. "Tyler's alright, it took him a few minutes but he came back. I thought you might want to know that." For a minute she doesn't answer and simply looks out the window.

"I heard. You know, I didn't do all of this because I've gone crazy. It's not that I don't care. There were things that had to be done and so I did them." She turns around with her arms crossed in front of her. She looks more put together than before. "I did what I had to do to protect the people I love and even though most of them aren't human I still love you guys. I don't care what the consequences are, I'll deal with them."

"I understand Bonnie. I'd do the same thing myself." She gives me a small smile when I tell her that and turns back to the window.

I return back to find Caroline and Tyler standing, still hugging over and over again. "Let's go." I give Caroline and Tyler a real smile, one of the first genuine smiles I've given since becoming a vampire.

…

**Katherine's POV**

There's nothing like fresh blood at 98.6 degrees. Sure it's easy to live off blood bags but when you have time and power I'd rather relish in it. Hanging around Mystic Falls is fun when there are things going on, but lately the only drama has been uneventful. I personally don't care what happened to that hybrid kid or the magic best friend, which is why I decided to take a little break and find someone nice to drink. I went a little too far and took too much blood; then I had to dig a grave in the woods and bury the body in it getting dirt all over my jeans. I blamed this death on Elena, who irritated me the last time I saw her. When I told her that doppelganger-vampire's couldn't turn off their emotions she gave me a condescending look. It's still irritated me just thinking about it.

Just because I had done horrible things in my life didn't mean that I didn't feel every single one of them. I'd spent 500 years dealing with the consequences of every split second decision I had made. What was I supposed to do wallow in self-pity and pain? I had to think about my own self-preservation first. Still, talking to Elena wasn't all bad and I felt sorry for her and the fact that all of my problems were about to become her problems. As long as she kept away from Klaus and no one found out that she was now a vampire she should be safe although for how long I'm not sure.

As I come running up to the boarding house I lose my train of thought at the screaming voices within.

"So you think it's a good idea to just waltz in there? You could have been killed!"

"I'm fine and I can go wherever I like! Stop trying to push me around, I'm not a human anymore!"

"Exactly, Elena. You're a vampire and you still have a death wish! Hasn't dying once put any sense into you?"

Damon and Elena are arguing again, and I cross the yard to the window to get a better look. They're in the living room standing about a foot apart and screaming at one another. They have an entire audience behind them, and I notice that the hybrid boy is there and his body is definitely back to normal because Caroline is draped all over him. Stefan looks mostly calm and relieved and is barely watching Damon and Elena while they argue. I feel the urge to laugh at him rise up, there he is watching his brother and the girl he loves go at it and he has no clue what's going on. Even when they're fighting you could see the look in their eyes. They got under each other's skin, and the tension between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Had I been sitting in there with the rest of them and been a hundred times more modest I would have looked away, afraid that they'd start kissing any second. Damon had never fought for me like this, never even acted this way about me. I silently wonder why none of their friends seem to notice this as they watch them continue arguing.

"It was stupid. You still need me to babysit you because you pull things like this."

"You're not my mother Damon; I don't need you to babysit me. We got Tyler back, figured out Bonnie and got a promise."

"I know I'm not your mother because she's DEAD, which is what could have happened to you when you decided to walk in the front door of Klaus' house!"

In a flash I'm inside the house standing in front of Elena who was just about to slap Damon. I grab her hand and stop her as it comes up to my face. Elena's eyes widen in surprise and I can hear Damon back up behind me.

"You went to Klaus? Do you know how stupid that was? You have to stay away from him." I let go of her hand and she takes a few steps back with a perplexed look.

Damon venomous voice speaks from behind me, "What's it got to do with you?"

I ignore him for the time being because I really don't feel like trying to find excuses. "Come with me." I leave Elena in there and walk through one of the back doors, waiting for her to follow. What I'm about to tell her can't be done in front of an audience.

After a few moments of arguing again Elena comes outside to meet me and I motion for her to follow me into the forest. We walk silently and I listen for anyone following us outside, but nobody does. When we get far enough away from the house I pause and turn to face her.

"Why do you have a problem with me going to see Klaus? I wasn't aware you cared what happened to me." Elena gives me a critical look and I decide to answer at least half of her question with a mostly honest answer.

"When I told you that our blood was a part of the Original's transformation I assumed you would catch on. Tatia's blood was used as a part of the spell, that's where the doppelganger's started – we're part of nature's balance. It's fine when we're human but as soon as you get changed into a vampire everything's different. I've run into two witches while being on the run all of these years who realized what I was. They knew how to use me to destroy the Originals, and if I hadn't killed them before they could tell anyone or do something about it then I'd have been dead a long time ago. Now you're a vampire and you need to stay the hell away from Klaus, for your own sake as well as mine. If he ever figures out what we could do he really will kill us." Most of what I've told her is the truth, other parts I have to make up on the spot as a good explanation so I don't have to tell the truth. She looks confused which is probably a good thing.

"But we're vampires, why would we want to kill Klaus? He made our line, we'd die too." I stifle the urge to laugh; she seems to think so highly of the world and those in it even after everything that's happened to her. I never had a chance of hanging onto my innocence like that.

"Why would a witch care what we want? I didn't say they asked me to help, they will make you. Witches can be as ruthless as Klaus himself. Trust me."

"So what can I do then? Just avoid Klaus?" She looks concerned now, and I'm sure she's thinking of all the people who will die if Klaus does. She's probably even forgetting the fact that she'd die as well.

"Stay as far away from him as possible and since you probably don't want to go on the run like I do I'd advise you not to let anyone besides those in your circle know that you're a vampire." For a few minutes she stays quiet and thinks about this then she asks a critical question, "What were these witches going to do? How do we balance out nature?"

I have to think quickly, because the answer to that question is going to be a lie. "It's better if you don't know the process but it involves the fact that we're vampires, and a lot of our blood has to be spilled."

Instead of asking more questions she accepts what I've told her and agrees to keep quiet and stay away from Klaus. I don't feel bad for lying because if she listens to me she probably won't need the whole truth for several years. Still, I don't plan to leave here before I'm sure that nothing is going to happen.

"Is everything okay here?" Stefan steps out of the woods into our little clearing looking between me and Elena. I smile and give him a once over, maybe there are other reasons I'm still here.

"We we're just having a girl talk. It's over now." I look over at Elena and catch her eye, she gives a small smile back as I turn to leave; I decide to go find something fun to do tonight. I'm sure she won't be going near Klaus anytime soon and maybe I can find myself someone to stay with for the night.


	16. I Could Do This Everyday

**This update is all for myself, I was in a mood and needed to write a bit of fluff. Don't worry – this isn't as good as it gets. There's still an epic fight to be had before things get really interesting. Enjoy!**

**Elena's POV**

Walking through the woods with Stefan I decide this is a good time to talk to him. I'm worried he'll disappear again when we get back to the boarding house.

"Stefan, I wanted to thank you." We keep walking as we talk and he looks over at me, "For what?"

"For saving Matt like I asked you to. I'd forgotten about the vampire blood, I was panicking and all I knew was that you had saved me when I was supposed to die the first time. It seemed right that you save Matt, and I'm happy you did." He takes a few steps in silence before answering me.

"I shouldn't have done it. I chose saving Matt and losing you over you being alive and hating me. That's the difference between Damon and I. He would have saved you. Hell he would have saved Matt too, but his first priority would have been you even if you hated him for it." He shakes his head and looks at his feet while he walks.

"Stefan, I don't blame you. Damon wasn't there, and if it would have been him then yes I would have hated him for it if Matt died. I'm absolutely fine with what happened, sure it will be difficult but Matt's okay and so am I." I try to make him understand while avoiding the conversation of Damon. There's no way I could talk about Damon and make Stefan feel better in the same sentence, it just wouldn't work.

"Thank you." He smiles as he looks at me.

"For what?"

"For this. You die and then you have to reassure me that you're okay. You're so strong, I should be reassuring you." He laughs at himself and I laugh a bit too.

"I don't need any reassuring."

We finish walking back to the house in silence. We're almost to the house when Stefan asks, "Did you want to go hunting? I think I'm going to."

For a moment I forget what he's talking about, then I realize he means for animals because he thinks I'm doing that. I wish life would get less complicated.

"Um, no I'm fine. Damon took me last night." I lie through my teeth as I feel a dry ache in my throat. Stefan doesn't seem to notice and takes off into the woods.

When I get back into the house things seem to have calmed down a bit, most likely since I'm not there screaming at Damon. I inwardly curse myself for even getting into an argument in the beginning, he just bugs the hell out of me sometimes and he'll say something which makes me want to say something back. Sighing I walk through the hallways looking for everyone else, but I run into a smirking Damon hanging onto a cup.

"That's odd, I don't remember going out with you last night to hunt. I distinctly remember getting drunk, carrying you to bed and then you kissing me."

I swipe the cup from him and drink it all in one gulp. The tension in my throat dulls and I savour in the thick taste of the blood. "Sorry, but I don't remember that. Maybe it was Katherine, I hear we're hard to distinguish between lately." I hold out the empty cup for him.

For a moment he has a look of surprise which quickly gets replaced by a smile. "Speaking of that tramp, what did she want?"

I smile back at him and before I can help myself I'm taunting him, "That's for me to know and you to dot dot dot." I quote his own line at him, but his smile vanishes and he gets serious.

"Whatever she's telling you can't be believed. All she does is lie." He looks at me sharply and his eyes narrow in that way which would make most girls feint at the sight. I find it hard to process words in a full sentence but eventually it comes back to me.

"Maybe we have more in common than everyone else thinks."

With that I walk around him and look for the others. After finding them we spend a lot of time talking about regular things. Jeremy tells me about the girl next door to our house, and Damon eventually shows up to tease him about it. When I say 'our' house I really mean it. Jeremy called the list of numbers Ric had left today, one of them being a lawyer. Even though Jeremy's not 18 yet the lawyers have agreed to sign the house over to him as he's the one who is supposed to inherit it. We don't argue with this because I feel safer knowing no vampire can get in the house unless invited in by him, if it was my name in then anyone could. Ric also left his loft apartment to us should we want it, he didn't write it down anywhere but we were sure that he believed we could use it as a safe place as well as a place to store weapons so we agreed to keep it. Ric's parents were surprised to hear from us and Jeremy told them all about us, and how Ric had basically become our family. His parents were glad to hear it and even suggested a visit one day. A surprise we hadn't been expecting was the savings and the research. Ric gave us all of the money he had been saving and this coupled with Aunt Jenna's and our parents was enough to pay for the house and apartment bills for a while to come as well as our education. Isobel's research that Ric had access to was also going to be sent over for us to have.

Caroline and Tyler were beside themselves and couldn't stop kissing or hugging. Another surprise came when Tyler informed us that he knew what Bonnie was going to do because she came to him before she did it. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to make it back to his body, but he said that only he could do it and it was worth it if we all lived. Caroline had another break down at this and cried for several minutes before Tyler could calm her down. Then we had a very in depth discussion over Bonnie and what she had been going through.

By the time it was one in the morning Caroline, Tyler and Jeremy were still here, half asleep where they were sitting. Meredith hadn't gotten back to us yet on whether or not the council was looking for Caroline and Tyler so they chose a guest bedroom upstairs and went to sleep here. I offered to drive Jeremy home but Damon offered him a room and he seemed more than happy to stick around. He chose the room I had been using over the summer.

Wandering around sleepy and still grumpy I picked a room and walked over to slump on the bed, which was soft and so comfortable. Without even getting under the covers I fell asleep.

…

**Damon's POV**

I wandered around the house for a while, drinking and waiting for Stefan to get back so we could talk about what to do with Klaus, but he never came back. Instead I gave up on waiting and headed to bed, only there was someone in it. Elena was curled up in a ball in the very middle of it not even under the blankets.

I shook her shoulder a few times, "Elena, wake up." She murmured but never fully woke up. I tried to think of something to do, maybe carry her to another room or find another place for myself, but as usual I couldn't make myself leave her. Picking her up and pulling the blankets back I put her on the right side of the bed and slipped into the left to go to sleep. She was like a brightly shining sun and I was Icarus, always flying to close and getting burned. I didn't blame her for it, since she was in love with Stefan when I showed up and moved in. No matter how hard I tried I would always come back to her. She had chosen Stefan and yet I was still here, in bed with her and helping her get through things – I always would be.

I wake up in the middle of the night and look over at the clock which reads three am. I'm lying on my back and I can feel Elena still beside me, but I can hear voices coming from downstairs. I concentrate and I'm surprised to find that they're Stefan and Katherine's.

"Of course he won't oblige by his promise, he's Klaus."

"Elijah will, or he'll try. Elena holds a lot by his word."

"Is that jealousy I hear Stefan? Ha an all-powerful Original who likes your little girl friend."

"We both know that Elijah is the least of my problems."

I decide to sneak downstairs and check out this secret meeting, but Elena choses that moment to groan and roll over onto my chest. I think about moving her but then I smile to myself and decide to tune out their conversation and go happily back to sleep.

Once again I'm pulled out of my sleep, this time by an irritated voice, "Damon wake up."

I try to pull my eyes open but can't seem to focus my vision. I relax my head back onto the pillow and let out a noise.

"Damon, c'mon wake up. You've got an iron grip." I try to force my eyes open again and this time I see Elena squirming in front of me, he hair wildly spread out on the pillow. I must have rolled over in the night and now I have my arm wrapped around her. I smirk and grip tighter.

"Sorry, but I'm still tired. Go back to sleep." I close my eyes again and I can hear her give an exasperated sigh.

"How'd I even get here?" I laugh at the question.

"Hey, I came to bed and you were asleep on it. Go back to sleep Elena." After several more minutes of struggling I feel her go still and after a few minutes I can hear heavy breathing. For a bit I just imagine what every day could be like if it was the two of us like this. I go back to sleep thinking of that.

**Elena's POV**

I yawn and open my eyes; the first thing I see is the clock which reads 10 AM. Then I remember where I am again, and realize that I'm lying across Damon's chest. Before taking a panic attack I pause and lay there for a few minutes. How easy would it be to wake up every day like this? Then reality sets in and I consider all the problems and obstacles in the way, coupled by the fact that once again here I am hurting Damon. I sigh and bolt upright quickly. Moving carefully I get off the bed and tip toe my way out of the room.

I can hear Jeremy talking to Caroline and Tyler in the kitchen as he makes food. I walk along the hall and come to the door to Stefan's room. Attentively I open the door and slip inside, making my way as quietly as possible up the stairs. When I get to the top I look around the room but there's no one in it. To be honest I'm not even sure why I'm up here, I just wanted to see if Stefan was around. He had definitely been avoiding me but I had thought our conversation last night might help.

I head downstairs to join the others, and attempt to join in on the conversation. Mostly I find my mind wandering and day dreaming.

"We should try to get to Bonnie again today and make sure she's alright. From the sounds of it she really was doing all of this to help us." Jeremy suggests as he makes himself some toast. I think it's a great idea because I believe the Bonnie we know is still there, she just cancelled out for a little while to do something that was emotionally difficult; I can relate to that. Caroline agrees as well and we begin to discuss where and when we should talk to her when Damon walks in half naked.

I'm not sure if it's because all of my emotions are now heightened or things have gone awry in me but I can't take my eyes off of him as he walks in. He's wearing black jeans and walking around barefoot with no shirt on. His chest is perfect like it's carved out of white marble and all of the muscles in his arms and stomach move with him like a lethal animal ready to pounce. His hairs messy from bed and he gives me a smirk as he notices me watching him. I spin around quickly and glance around for something to occupy me. I feel my head swirl and a collection of memories and emotions takes over. I rush out of the room and try to take a few calming breathes. What is happening to me?


	17. Push Too Hard

**Elena is always the damsel in distress! I feel so bad for her, most of the time I wish she was super strong and could fight her own battles. I was so proud in the last season when Stefan went all ripper and Damon turned her into a warrior. This chapter was actually not planned I just had the urge to put a small little side step (moral lesson) in the plot. Read & Review and let me know if you're still following along! Also there's nooooo way anyone will guess what's coming next, mostly because I made it up and mostly because it's impossible to guess lol. **

******I own nothing, the Vampire Diaries belongs to L.J. Smith and CW.**

**Elena's POV**

As a human everything seemed so black and white, good vs. evil. Now I realize that things are worse as a vampire. The grey areas surrounding every decision or thought are now threatening to crush me. Nothing is just good or bad, there's always a mixture of both which is probably due to the fact that I have the ability to experience so many emotions so strongly. It also doesn't help when I can feel all of these things at once.

_Stefan and Damon are going to be the death of me_, I think sadly as I lay outside the boarding house in the grass enjoying the afternoon sun. Last night and this morning I found myself with Damon again, after promising that I would let him go. I don't want to hurt anyone else, and I'm tired of being torn between them, but can I let one go? What will happen if I do chose one? I'm not sure if I can stand to see either of them leave, and if I was to be the one that came between their newly found friendship I would hate myself.

I sigh and stare back up at the sky overhead, completely void of any clouds. Maybe I should let them both go. Eternity is a long time for a vampire, maybe one day I'd come across someone else and my relationship with them would be less complicated. The only flaw in that plan is that I'm completely selfish and I know I wouldn't be capable of doing that either. I watch as a bird flies through the sky overhead flapping its wings only twice and gliding the rest of the time.

A shadow crosses my face and the bird is blocked by a sandy brown head.

"Hey, you're a bird watcher now?" Stefan jokes and takes a seat beside me. This is the first time he's come to just relax and hang around with me for a long time, and I can feel my smile grow.

"There are worse things I can do with eternity. I was thinking of taking up knitting as well, you know become an expert," I joke and sit up with him. I could probably spend the day with this back and forth banter with him but his face changes slightly and I can spot the guilty-Stefan look from miles away.

"I'm sorry I've been avoiding you." I had guessed as much but hearing it was very different from assuming it and I feel my face drop.

"Why have you?"

He takes a few seconds before answering, "I was upset about the crash and the fact that I saved Matt, but I was also bothered by the fact that you're a vampire now because of me. It was weird to think of and it made me nervous to be around you. Like any minute you would explode and admit that you hated me for it." He looks nervous now as he looks at me. I reach over and put my hand on his leg, turning a bit so that I'm facing him. I try to put on the most reassuring and calm face I can muster.

"Stefan, I'm fine. Really. I know that I told you I didn't want this which is true but it was worth it. Between this and dying I'd much rather be here with everyone. Matt's alive because of you, and you know that I would do whatever it takes to protect the people I love." It's hard to put into words the reason's I chose to be a vampire, and the reasons that I'm alright with it. My life was cursed with the supernatural from the second I was born; this factor was brought to my attention by Katherine and allowed me to understand that I never would have lived a normal life anyways. After all of the heartbreak and loss I had experienced from being a doppelganger I deserved to have happiness and if becoming a doppelvamp (as I like to call it) gave me a chance to find that then I would be okay with it.

"I don't fully believe you, but I'm going to try." Stefan gives me a small smile before putting his hand over mine. "It's just hard to believe that you're okay with the price you had to pay. Being a predator and wanting human blood is who you're going to be now, and I know that's going to haunt you." His smile leaves and he looks guilty once again.

I try to cheer him up the best that I can without letting on that control is easier for me than it should be. "It isn't bad, I can fight it. Other than that tiny incident in the alley with Katherine I've never even wanted to hurt a huma-"

"What?"

I've made a mistake and I can tell it's a bad one. Stefan is looking at me with an odd expression and I slip my hand out from under his to cradle my knees in front of me.

"A few nights ago I went out and I was walking past an alley when I smelled blood. A guy had tripped and cut his leg open pretty badly on a set of steps. I couldn't control myself; I just walked up to him and b-bit him." I try to sound calm but as I relive that moment I think of the worry all over again. "Katherine had followed me and pushed me away before I could hurt him but I felt horrible for what I had done. Once I felt the urges and the pain for what I had done it was easier to be around humans. We went to the Grill for a drink and it was like I could just shut them out and ignore the craving. It really wasn't that bad, and I know I can fight them." I finish my speech to see if it has made Stefan feel any less guilty but he's still wearing an odd expression.

"You could have killed that guy! Why were you out by yourself? Did you want to put people at risk?" Stefan yells and his face is a beacon for judgement and disappointment.

Something snaps. I can feel it as though I'm looking at it; a long rope stretching and stretching until it starts to fray and eventually SNAP.

"What the hell are you talking about? Did you seriously just ask me why I was out by myself? You just came down here and admitted that you've been ignoring me this entire time. You weren't around – did you think there was a vampire welcome committee sitting on my door step to teach me the arts of being a vampire? Caroline has had her own issues to deal with and in case you didn't notice I've been trying not to use Damon as my rock anymore because he doesn't deserve that. I need to be strong now."

I take several deep breathes after my outburst and Stefan's judging look disappears. "I'm sorry, I know this is hard and it's true that there are only three people here that can help you and we've overlooked our duties." He attempts to calm me down with a smile, "I'm going to get the vampire welcome committee together and we're going to get down to business right away." Before I can say anything he leaves back towards the house.

I feel better after yelling a bit and getting things off my chest, although I don't particularly feel bad for yelling at Stefan. When I'm arguing with Damon it's like we each chose a side in a debate and we try so hard to get the other person on our side. When Stefan and I argue it feels like screaming without words, in the end either one of us or sometimes both of us feel hurt and guilty. I put this aside and focus on the current issue, lying back down and trying to find funny shaped clouds – if any at all.

Within 30 minutes Stefan has assembled himself, Caroline and Damon who have both agreed that some much needed teaching is in order. That's when I realize I really do have a problem. They're expecting normal vampire reactions and lessons, but I can already somewhat handle myself around blood – which no one really knows about. For once I actually wish that Katherine was there.

Thankfully we ignore any blood lessons, and after a few hours I've mastered the art of running at break neck speeds – no vampire pun intended – for long periods of time. No more tripping over my feet or crashing into things for me.

These lessons continue over a few days and still I find a way to avoid any blood training. I learn how to climb things, how to jump, and how to not accidently exert your strength and break things. One thing that Stefan always avoids is compulsion. It starts to bother me that he never thinks to teach me this and I try to chalk it up to the possibility that he believes I already know how to do it. Finally after one of our lessons I confront Damon.

"Do vampires know how to compel people by instinct?"

He looks at me with curiosity and raises an eyebrow. "Some do, others take more time to focus and figure it out, and why are you asking?" He gives a smirk as though he already knows the answer to the question.

"Because I tried to compel a bartender to serve me at the Grill and it didn't work. Stefan seems to be avoiding that lesson so I want you to teach me." I raise my head in confidence and try to feel as though I'm not asking someone to teach me how to control other people.

Instead of getting weird about it, Damon understands – as usual. "Maybe you already know how but he was on vervaine?" I mull this over and I find myself feeling less bad, but then in true Damon fashion he cracks a joke at my expense. "Or maybe you're really bad at it and you're forever doomed to be the 18 year old designated driver."

"Are you going to teach me or should I ask Caroline?" I try not to laugh at his joke.

"Okay, no need to be pushy. With that attitude you'll never need to learn compulsion."

"Damon!"

He laughs but then turns serious, "Well we're going to need a human who isn't laced with vervain."

I groan as I realize that I hadn't thought of that part. "I don't want to use someone like a puppet. Is there anyone we know that isn't ingesting it?"

Damon smiles and I can tell he has an idea, and by the looks of it he believes it's a great idea. "Nope everyone we know is ingesting it but I have an idea of where you can try it out."

…

"Speed dating? Are you serious?" Three hours later I'm walking into a busy bar in some town I don't know with a collection of tables set up in a circle. There are two chairs at each table and a large sign nearby that says "Handlebar Hanks Road House presents: Speed Dating Night!" Damon simply smirks at me and walks to the bar to get himself something to drink.

"What is the purpose of this, am I supposed to compel myself a date?" Damon laughs and sits down, already drinking his trademark bourbon.

"The point is that you're in the perfect position to compel people this way. You'll be sitting at a table eye-to-eye with some stranger from a different town who is most likely NOT on vervain."

I feel stupid for not getting Damon to tell me where we were going earlier. "I don't want to use innocent people as puppets just so I can get the hang of something. Let's just go." I turn but Damon grabs my arm and turns me back around.

"Look over there at the people waiting to speed date, what do you see?" I turn towards a group of people waiting to get to the tables. Most of the women seem to be middle aged and look unoptimistic. One women is in a business suit talking rapidly on the phone while trying to fish for something in her purse. The men look eager although scared. Half of them are looking around and making small talk with the men around them, the other half are staring over at the group of women.

"You don't have to use anyone as a puppet. These people are here because they're looking for company. You sit down and have a conversation with them for 5 minutes and during that time you be nice and have fun, and then you try to compel them. You don't have to compel them to jump up and down or stab someone, figure something out about them and compel them in a good way. Watch."

Before I can protest Damon jumps off his stool and approaches a woman standing apart from the others. It's clear she's caught off guard by him; he's an incredibly good looking guy with designer clothes on and a steely gaze that could have you melting in the palm of his hand. I mean that's probably what she thinks. I curse myself and focus in on distinguishing their conversation, something that I've learned over the past week.

"Hey, how are you tonight."

"Oh, I-I'm fine. Yourself?"

"A little nervous, can I tell you a secret? I'm not really a speed dating type of guy."

The woman laughs a little and calms down before answering, "I'm nervous too."

"What brings a woman like yourself here anyways? I'm sure you've got guys following you around."

She isn't taken back by his question but answers honestly, "I got divorced a little while ago, I'm trying to get back into dating but it's a little difficult. I'm not as young as I used to be." She laughs at this but I can tell that she's bothered by it. Her forehead wrinkles a little and her smile isn't genuine.

Then she locks eyes with Damon and her face becomes focused and still, "You're not going to be nervous tonight. You're beautiful and you're going to have fun." She looks back at him and repeats, "I'm not going to be nervous. I'm going to have fun."

Her face lights up with a smile and Damon wishes her luck. She yells thanks as he walks back over my way. "See? Piece of cake. You can clearly see that my compulsion worked and she's no worse for the wear." The woman is no longer standing by herself, but has joined a large group of women and they're all talking animatedly.

I smile at him, "Damon Salvatore, you're going soft."

"I could always eat the townspeople later if that's what you want?" He asks pretending to be serious and looking around licking his lips. I can't help but laugh at him.

"No thanks, but I guess your idea wasn't a horrible one and I get the point now. So how do I do this?"

After getting a crash course from Damon a tiny lady with a large voice stands up on a chair and motions for us to all take a seat. The girls will stay at the tables while the guys will rotate every five minutes. I give Damon one last smile before sitting down.

After two attempts I get the hang of it. I ask a few questions and then come up with something to compel them with that isn't horrible. One guy admits to me that he still lives with his mother and I compel him into buying her flowers for allowing him to stay with her. Unfortunately, I push a little too hard and he jumps up right there and runs out of the bar determined to get them right away. When the next guy comes I have to awkwardly joke about scaring him off. Eventually Damon gets to my table.

"I stop paying attention for ten seconds and you send a guy running into the street. Thought you didn't like to use them like puppets?" He asks half-jokingly.

I groan and try to reign in the slightly guilty feeling I have. At least his mother will be surprised. "I pushed a little too hard. All I did was say that he should buy his mom flowers for letting him live with her, I didn't mean right this second. He just kinda made it into a big deal."

Damon doesn't laugh again, but stares at me intently looking as though he's trying to judge whether or not I'm telling the truth.

"I'm not supposed to be able to do that am I?"

"Nope."

I groan again. Now I have to add this to the list of things that I don't understand and remember to ask Katherine about them.

"I've never seen anyone be able to control the amount of effort behind compulsion – besides originals. Sure if you're on a bunny-diet like Stefan than it will be harder but if you drink the good stuff then it's always the same level of performance." He looks at me intently again and all my ideas of keeping this stuff a secret vanish.

"It's not the only weird thing. There's actually an entire collection of weird things I can do. Katherine explained why but if I tell you, you can't tell anyone else because I'm pretty sure she wasn't joking when she said it was a secret."

Damon agrees and I spill the entire doppelvamp story. Our five minutes is up quickly but we simply leave the table and find a secluded one deep within the bar. To his credit he doesn't argue that Katherine's lying, but that's probably because he knows about the odd things I can do. I even tell him about the fact that I'm worried Stefan will try to teach me how to control the veins in my face with blood bags… and I've already had that under control since the first time I drank one. After I'm done my story Damon continues to smile at me.

"It really isn't that funny."

"I'm not laughing."

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Because I should have figured something like this would happen."

"Gee thanks."

"I should have known you'd be too special as a human to be normal as a vampire."

His comment catches me off guard and for a moment I'm at a loss for words. He smiles again and gets up, "I'll get us another drink."

I watch as he walks over to the bar and I'm left with my own thoughts. Mostly I just curse myself again. Here I am, at a bar with Damon having moments. Two weeks ago he was preparing to die and I left him all alone to rush home and say goodbye to everyone else – who were all together and had the support of each other. Looking back I don't even understand how I thought that was a rational decision. Setting this whole messed up situation aside, how could I let one of my best friends die alone at a storage facility? Now I've thought too much and put myself into a bad mood.

Searching around to ask Damon if we can leave I discover that the business women from earlier has gotten off her cell phone. She's taken off the blazer she was wearing and is now clad in a thin and small silk shirt with her tight black pencil skirt and incredibly pointy stilettos. She's put her hair down and is in full flirt mode as she tosses her hair to the side and gives a loud laugh at whatever Damon's saying. I feel a sting of jealousy as I see her leaning in with interest and putting her hand on his arm. My bad mood increases and my throat starts to burn; I decide it's time to go outside for some air.

Outside I automatically feel better as I walk around the side of the bar in the moonlight. The bar is the only place on the street that has any sign of life so I take a little walk to enjoy the night. I've forgotten to ask the other's how they feel about the night now, but I have the feeling they enjoy it as much as I do.

My philosophical pondering is interrupted by footsteps behind me.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?" One of the guys from the speed dating tables comes up behind me. I remember him as one of the few that I didn't try to compel. He's a little taller than me and has curly brown hair and a kind face. He seemed pretty confident on the dates, and I really didn't think he needed me to compel him for anything.

"Enjoying the night, needed some air." I give a smile and try to keep my answer short. Even though I'm under control of my thirst I don't need another accident to happen like the one with Katherine.

Unfortunately he seems to take my short answer as a sign that I need to talk, "Is it because that guy you like got scooped up by – Veronica? I think that's her name?" He takes a few steps forward and seems to think that we're making conversation now. I'm annoyed but I try to think of a way out of it.

"Haha yeah that's the one, I'm just going to take a walk and blow off some steam. I'll be fine. Meet you back in there?" I turn to walk but he's beside me walking as well.

"You can't just walk around here alone." My bad mood is now back entirely, and no amount of moonlight is going to fix that. I keep walking hoping that he'll give up but he walks with me.

"Sure I can, I'm one of those people who likes to figure things out by themselves." I say it with a little more rudeness and force than necessary but it doesn't seem to faze him.

"Don't worry I'll stay quiet, a pretty girl like you shouldn't wander around alone you could get hurt." He smiles at me and I stop walking, annoyed and fed up with being followed. If anyone is in danger of being hurt, it's him as my frustration seems to boil.

I turn and lock eyes with him preparing to compel him but something's wrong, I have the sensation of being pushed and everything goes black.


	18. To Kill or Not To Kill

**I'll leave my note at the end. (Congratulations to k. ariadna , it was basically impossible to guess what was going to happen but you were right, he isn't a good human being!)**

**Elena's POV**

Even though everything's black I have the sensation that my eyes are still open, and I'm still standing on the sidewalk in the moonlight. The only thing stranger than everything going black is the fact that my emotions are flaring with a vengeance. The frustration, anger and jealousy I had been feeling has turned into hatred, fury and violence. That's when I realize everything's no longer black. _What the hell is happening!_

When I got my memories back of the times I'd been compelled it felt a little like this. It's like looking into a flashback – a fuzzy memory I'm watching play out in front of me in first person, and when it's over it will be in my memory as if it was always there. The only difference is that this is definitely _NOT_ one of my previous memories.

There's a woman on the ground in front of me begging for her life, and even though I'm freaking out, confused and have no intention of hurting her, the only emotions I seem to be able to feel are the angry ones. Then I see my arm lurch forward and bury a razor sharp serrated knife with a stark white handle into her stomach. I give a menacing laugh that doesn't fit me at all as I see her slump down to the ground holding her stomach as blood pours out. I try to tell myself in the memory to stop but I see my arm strike out again and again.

I can't believe what I'm seeing. There's no way I would ever do that to an innocent person. I feel my stomach turn and I panic trying to put the image of the woman begging out of my mind. That's when I let go of the anger and I'm out of the fuzzy vision staring at a very angry man in front of me. I can hear his heavy breathing and I look around me and realize that I'm standing on the sidewalk again. _What the hell was that? Did I just space out while talking to this guy?_

The guy is the man from the bar still, only something seems to have pissed him off. He's grumbling about something but I'm too confused to pay any attention. I'm torn between doing damage control and getting Damon and telling him what's happening. What if the vision I just had is the future or something and I'm going to kill that woman? I ignore the mumbling guy and hope that he'll fill in the blanks by assuming I'm just some strange girl. I decide to turn to go back to the bar but as soon as I make a move to turn the man grabs my arm and yanks me into a nearby alleyway. I could snap the guys arm and make it back to the bar before he even screamed out, but I'm too confused to process anything. I can still picture the woman begging for me to just leave her and the look on her face when the knife goes in.

The man pushes me up against the wall still grumbling and I feel something cold on my neck. That's when things start to snap into place and I realize what I've just seen while attempting to compel him. I listen to his angry musings for the first time – "What are you some kind of witch mindreading freak? I don't know how the hell you did that bitch but you won't be leaving this alley alive."

The cold feeling on my neck is a razor sharp knife with a very white handle, the one that was plunged into the woman's stomach.

…

**Damon's POV**

The woman sitting beside me on the stool is incredibly annoying. She's vaguely attractive and very eager, the kind of woman the old Damon would have jumped on without a second thought. The only issue is that I no longer feel like the old Damon. It's not that there's no challenge here, it would take me only a minute to get her out of here and then I could compel her to do whatever I wanted. I could compel her to run from me and be afraid, or I could even tell her who I was and then watch as she got naturally afraid and tried to run. Hell, I could even sleep with her for a while and feed on her until I got bored and found someone else or killed her.

I mull these things over as she laughs and drinks and makes obvious innuendos at me but my heart isn't in it. I lost the ability to take my anger out on people a long time ago, when I got to know Elena. Now all I could think about was the fact this women might have a kid at home like Jeremy, or an ex-husband like Alaric. Being honest with myself, that wasn't the only thing I was thinking about. Her brown hair was like Elena's only a shade too dark, and there was no way that Elena would be as pushy as this woman – although I could imagine her doing everything it took to get what she wanted. I groaned a bit and realized that I was doing it again. Here I was with a perfectly suitable woman in front of me and I was comparing her to my brother's girlfriend. I'd been doing it all night with the women at the speed dating tables. Isn't that tragic.

"Sorry, I've got to get back to my friend she'll be thirsty by now." I pick up the glasses and try to reassure the now frowning woman, but I found I didn't have that in me either. I turn and take off, just wanting her to leave me alone.

When I get back to the booth I have to fight the urge to throw the glasses at the wall. Elena is nowhere to be found. When she was a human I would have immediately blamed myself for not paying attention and worried she was in danger – which had happened more than once. Now that she's a vampire the reaction is the same but I'm also worried that she may be harming someone else. Even if she thought she had everything under control it would only take one small push to lose control.

After a very quick scan of the bar I knew she wasn't inside, I head out the front doors and listen to the night outside. There's a couple making out around the corner and I tell myself that Elena is definitely not one of them. Then I hear the quiet sound of someone begging and I immediately take off in the direction of an alley a little way up the dark street. When I get there it only takes me a second to determine that there are no other vampires or witches here that are a threat, and I find myself staring at a common scene.

Elena has her hand around a man's neck and he's pinned to the brick wall behind him. He's clearly scared and keeps quietly begging her to let him go, but her grip doesn't waiver. Elena's face is changed and her fangs are out; she's looking at him with an expression of hatred. So many new vampires misjudged their ability to control the bloodlust, I just hadn't really expected it to happen to Elena.

"Elena, calm down. Don't do anything you'll regret. Just let go of him and I'll compel him, we'll go home and have some blood bags." I approach slowly weighing the odds of being able to push her off and catch him before he ran screaming into the streets about demons. As I'm calculating this Elena turns and her face changes, the veins leaving her skin. Only now can I see the tears running down her face.

"What are you talking about? I'm not going to drink his blood." Her anger has died down a bit but I can tell it's still there.

"Then wha-?" Then I notice something I hadn't before. There's dried blood on her throat and a white handled knife in her hand. "Where'd you get that?" I feel like time is moving in slow motion, and I'm still confused at the scene in front of me.

Elena takes two deep breathes and calms down further before turning back to face the cowering man.

"Tell him about the murders." I can tell she's compelling him.

"I killed them. I was angry at first but then I did it for fun. It was a game." His steady voice rings out into the alley and an eerie silence follows, but Elena continues.

"How many?"

"Thirteen."

"All women?"

"Yes."

"Did you rape them?"

"Some of them."

"What about me?"

"You were going to be number fourteen."

She breaks eye contact with the man and turns back to look at me. The guy has resumed cowering and I have the urge to walk over there and snap his neck like a twig. He had wanted to kill her? What if she had still been human? Now I was fighting my own anger, but I realized that this was up to Elena.

"I tried to compel him and something really weird happened and the next thing I know I end up watching a memory of him killing some girl… What am I supposed to do? He's killed people Damon, he deserves to die. But I could compel him not to hurt anyone else and let him go." She looks away from me as more tears spill down her face. I can see that she's at war with herself and I know how she feels.

Elena wasn't a killer, she was full of compassion and humanity, but now she was a vampire and she had the ability to stop people like him. I didn't know how to answer her and I wondered how long she'd been standing here debating this herself.

"What if one of them had been Bonnie? Or Jenna?" she continues without me answering. "They were someone else's Bonnie and Jenna. I can kill him now, I can stop him but just because I can doesn't mean I should. There's always been natural balance to the world. I'm not natural, so why should I mess with that." I feel horrible as I see Elena cry and continue to hold the man by the neck. I just don't know how to answer her questions, so I try to deflect.

"Let me deal with him, go back to the car and let this be on me." Silently I hope she'll take my offer.

"I can't. I can't just hand him over to you and let you deal with it. I have to fight my own battles Damon, you've taken enough crap for both of us for long enough." Her tears have stopped and she has a determined look on her face. Once again I'm in awe of the strength that is Elena Gilbert.

"Well then you have to decide who you are now. Don't think about what's right or wrong and about what's fair and just. There are a million contradictions and reasons for both sides. At the end of the day it comes down to you. You have to live with every decision you make now, for eternity." I feel like I've let her down as I finish giving the only advice I can. If it was up to me, I'd tell her to go home and I'd kill the guy myself.

…

**Jeremy's POV**

Even though this was my house now it felt empty, like it belonged to someone else and the things here weren't mine. I had signed all of the papers and everything was in order, but once the lawyer had left it started to feel weird. Nobody had come over for at least a week. I went to school, talked to Elena, saw Caroline and Tyler around a few times, I'd even ate with Matt at the Grill and played some pool, but as soon as I went home it was like walking into a different world. I wished Elena would come home and things would go back to being semi-normal. I wished I wasn't alone.

I washed some dishes which was weird for me and then put on a movie. I didn't even know what I was watching; I just stared at my phone and sat on the couch. I'm not sure how long I'd been there when I heard a knock at the front door.

I had the urge to sit on the couch and ignore it. Whenever someone knocked on the door there was a good chance bad things were coming, it was like a negative omen.

Another knock and this one was harder. I resigned myself to whatever bad fate was headed my way and gave up to go answer the door. Bonnie was standing on my doorstep. I rolled my eyes and tried to shut the door but she put her hand out and stopped me.

"Jeremy, please."

"Just tell me what you want and leave." I felt only the slightest bit bad for treating her this way. What did she expect when she had basically betrayed every one of her friends?

"I want to explain everything to you, can I come in?" She did look upset and she'd lost the uncaring attitude she'd been carrying around for weeks.

"There's nothing to explain. Elena almost died, you wanted her to kill Damon, you actually did kill Tyler and I wound up bleeding from the head on Klaus' floor. Did I mention that he's still alive, that's on you too." I tried to close the door again but Bonnie didn't seem to be giving up.

"I know I don't deserve it, but you do. Let me explain so you can at least know why I did those things." She looked desperate and my anger and indifference slipped a bit. I really had fallen for Bonnie before the entire Anna thing. I had put her through the pain of watching me want my ghost ex-girlfriends and when I had tried to apologize and explain to her she had ignored me. Why shouldn't I do the same to her now? Then I remembered the fact that this was about so much more than me, and it was severely lonely in my house. I stepped aside to let her in.

It was nice to have someone over, even if that person was someone I really didn't want to see. I resumed my seat on the couch and waited with arms crossed. Bonnie looked around and then sat in the chair.

"Elena's not home if that's who you're looking for." I tried not to sound upset about it.

"I know she isn't. I came here to see you. I was just taking in the emptiness. It's weird to see, and I can't believe you do dishes now." She laughed but I wasn't in the mood for joking and she picked up on that quickly.

"I'm sorry Jeremy. When Damon told me he was giving the coffin with Klaus' body back to Elijah and Rebekah I got scared. I knew that Alaric was out there, and he was determined to kill the originals and I didn't want to lose my mom and Caroline and everyone else. I found the spell that Ester used to switch between her own body and Rebekah's, but it was hard. It was dark magic and I needed someone close to Klaus. I went to Tyler because he was the first successful hybrid and he had a strong connection to Klaus - I told him what I wanted to do. If Alaric managed to kill Klaus then his spirit would be transferred to Tyler's body. The only problem was that I didn't know what would happen to Tyler's spirit – the grimoire wasn't specific and Klaus' body would be staked. Tyler agreed anyways to save everyone, to save Caroline." Bonnie paused and looked down sadly, I noticed she had started crying but I wasn't convinced. I already knew everything she had told me and it didn't fix anything.

She started again, "I'm not going to say that I regret what I did, because I don't. If I hadn't done it then most of the people we love would be dead including Elena. Once I used that spell I could feel the dark magic around me. It followed me around everywhere and I was happy because everyone was alive. Then I found out that Elena was in transition and I had no idea what to do. I couldn't let her die or turn without trying to keep her human first. Klaus helped me. When we found the spell and I realized what it would mean I almost lost hope. There was no way Elena was going to kill Damon, even if Damon agreed to it, which I almost convinced him to do. Klaus made me a deal. He told me that Rebekah was still in Mystic Falls and she was angry that she hadn't actually killed Elena; that she'd try again even if we managed to make Elena human." She paused again and took a deep breath.

"You believed him? He was just fishing for something to get you to help him. He needed Elena's blood." I was angry at Bonnie for even implying that she had been tricked by Klaus. Bonnie was one of the strongest people I had known and no vampire ever fooled her.

"I knew he was just saying that, but he offered to kill her. He truly offered me the chance to end her, and even though I knew he was only offering to protect his own interests it was appealing. Then he offered you and Elena a life away from here. No vampire's would cross you again, and you could both have a normal life, a family. I knew he wasn't lying about this because it would mean the possibility of another doppelganger one day."

"Bonnie, we would have found a way, we always do. We would have dealt with Rebekah. Wasn't it you who once told Elena that I should have a choice of what to do in my life? You tried to take both of ours away."

She hung her head and was quiet for a while after that, when she looked back up she reminded me so much of the old Bonnie. I wanted to hold her and tell her everything would be alright, but I held myself back. She had been the one to make things so wrong.

"It just seemed so easy. It was an out. All I had to do was hand the three of you over and do some magic and poof, every problem was solved. You and Elena would be safe, both human and protected from everything supernatural for the rest of your lives. You wouldn't be alone Jeremy. I didn't want you to be alone." The look she gave me finally broke me and I reached over to bring her over to the couch and hold on to her. After a few sobs she continued her story laying her head on my arm.

"I know that it was fake, and that basically your lives would be a lie but it was easy and I decided at that time that it was worth it. I wasn't even thinking clearly about it. The more magic I did the more cocky I got and I felt like I could solve anything myself. When I found out what had happened with Klaus, Elena, Damon and you I knew I had been wrong, but I couldn't fix it. The only thing I had left to fix was Tyler and I was determined to find a way. I searched through every grimoire I had and finally found a spell that would pull back Tyler's spirit no matter where it was, even if it was on the other side. It was even heavier black magic than before but I owed it to him and to everyone else. When it was done and I saw Tyler wake up and Caroline and Elena with him I knew that what I'd done was horrible. I couldn't take it back. I stopped using magic, ignored Klaus and basically spent two weeks alone. I can still feel that weird feeling around me and sometimes out of the corner of my eye I can see shadows near me but I'm trying Jeremy and I'm so sorry for everything I've done."

She kept crying for a while and I held on to her. I could understand why she had done everything and I figured that living with her own guilt would be difficult enough without having me be angry at her. Elena was alright, Damon was alive, and Tyler was back. Everything hadn't gone horribly awry in the end.

"Bonnie, I forgive you. I still think you're an idiot but you can come see me whenever and I won't shut the door in your face." She laughed at this and I joined her. Eventually I let her go and she sat beside me. I didn't want her to leave; it felt better not being alone.

"You want some dinner? I'm actually an excellent chef now." Bonnie smiled a little and said yes, I got up to get some chicken out of the fridge while she looked for something better to watch on tv.

The doorbell rang for the second time tonight. "I'll get it." I ran over to the door feeling less desolate than I had before and opened it. April was standing on the front porch this time.

"Hey, I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the Grill with me? I haven't really been out much and I hear the Grill is the place to be." She gave a nervous laugh.

I looked over my shoulder and debated for a second, maybe Bonnie and I could both go with her…

"Sorry, I'm actually busy right now." I heard the words leave my mouth before I had even been positive I would say them.

"Oh, ok. Maybe some other time." She gave me a wave and hopped off the porch before I could answer. As I closed the door I wondered what Damon would say when I told him I had turned down a date from the girl next door.

"Who was that?" Bonnie smiled up at me from the couch and I smiled back realizing that I didn't care what Damon would say about her…

**Hope I didn't lose you guys with the bit at the beginning. I know mind reading isn't something that's been in the show or anything like that but c'mon Elena's had a hard enough life she deserves a little added super powers;) I'll be updating again soon and let me know what you think she'd do! Would Elena kill him or compel him to behave and let him walk away. What about Jeremy, is he still stuck on Bonnie or will April be a better idea. Enjoy!  
**


	19. No Easy Way Out

**I want to thank Starjade 101 for pointing out a few things that were questionable in the last chapter, I'm going to leave the 'boarding house' term in there because I'm stuck on using it (I read the books a long time ago and it just stuck:P) but as for the Tyler thing I cleared that up and made it more understandable. Thanks for pointing them out! Hope you guys enjoy the chapter and thanks for the reviews/favourites/follows this is helping my serious addiction with TVD until they come back… not to mention my annoyance that there's so much Stelena on the show, ugh. **

**Elena's POV**

I still had the man by the throat and he kept rambling and gasping at me, but I had stopped paying attention a long time ago. Damon stood off to my side looking confused and conflicted and I felt bad for putting this on him, this was all me.

I'd always felt that we were a product of our choices, and I knew a time would come when as an immortal I'd have to make a difficult decision – I just imagined it would be about love or who to trust, not whether the human in front of me deserves to live or die. Part of me couldn't even grasp that I was in this position let alone actually thinking about it. The old Elena wouldn't have had a journal entry that started, 'Dear Diary: Today I killed someone.' The problem was that I wasn't the same girl who got pulled out of her parents car, the new stronger Elena found irony in the fact that she had actually asked to be left in the car.

So here I stand with a man's life literally in my hands; debating between ripping his heart out or letting him go. I could almost laugh at the thought, almost.

"Please, d-don't kill me. I'll do anything, anything you want."

I stare into his eyes trying to keep all my emotion reigned in, "Stop talking." How easy it would be to plunge my hand into his chest, break a few ribs and grab his heart. He immediately stops snivelling leaving me to think in peace, not that it helps any.

"Just leave him to me, go back to the car," Damon offers but I look at him and shake my head. He's done so much already and this wasn't going to be added to the list. I didn't want to be protected I wanted to deal with things myself.

I take a deep breath, already upset with my choice, and turn back towards the man, "You won't hurt anyone else ever again. You will go to the police and turn yourself in, give them all of the evidence you have." I tighten my hand on his throat again and almost change my mind, after a few deep breaths I finish, "You won't remember me or my friend. Go."

I release him and he falls to the ground. After a few blinks and a dazed look around he gets up and heads out of the alley. I put my hands on the brick wall and close my eyes, willing myself not to run out of here and snap his neck. My tears are still streaming down my face and I feel ashamed. I don't know whether I'm ashamed for almost killing him, or letting him go instead. I can still see the face of the woman behind my eyes as she begs and I add mind reading to the list of things to talk to Katherine about.

"Are you okay?" I can hear Damon's footsteps get slowly closer to me, he sounds almost scared.

For some reason I decide that this is the perfect time to destroy any happiness I have.

"Why don't you hate me?"

I can hear him stop behind me, "What? I'm not going to pretend that I wouldn't have killed him but that was your decision I don't hate you for it." I hear him give a laugh and I know that I can stop now, chalk it up to a stupid question, but of course I don't.

"I'm not talking about that guy, I'm talking about everything I've done to you. I left you to die alone right after telling you that I'd chosen Stefan."

"Oh." Any laughter stopped immediately and I wait for an answer, but he seems to have forgotten the question.

I keep my arms on the wall and lean forward with my eyes still closed. "You're still here helping me, protecting me, after everything I've done." I can still feel the tears on my face, they haven't quit yet.

"Would you rather I wasn't?" His tone has changed now, somewhere between miserable and hurt.

For a minute I actually think about what he's said. Would it be better to be alone and spare him any further pain? "No, I'm selfish and I want you here, but I shouldn't. You don't deserve this. You still haven't told me why you don't hate me…"

"I really don't know." At these words I turn around and look at him. He's only a step away from me now and I can see the pain on his face and behind his eyes. I'm the only one in this century who gets to see the real Damon and all I see is the pain I've caused him. At least when Katherine left him he thought she hadn't done it voluntarily.

"I searched for a way to get Katherine out of that tomb for more than 150 years and she wasn't half the person you are. I'll be here as long as you need me Elena. No matter how bad it gets, I promised I wouldn't leave you and I meant it." He holds my face in his hands, his voice barely a whisper but I can make it out just fine. This is one of the rare moments he isn't hiding behind his sarcasm.

Like the coward I am I bow my head and look down at my feet. I don't think I could take any more tonight; I just want to crawl into bed and sleep for a week. Damon uses his thumb to wipe off my tears, once again keeping me together.

"I'm proud of you for being so strong. I would have killed him, he deserved it." I look back up at him and my shame comes back, I can tell he's being serious.

"I wasn't being kind. Death is an easy way out and he should have to live with what he's done." I can hear the venom in my own words as they leave my mouth. I'm not joking about my reasoning either. If I had killed him it would have ended there and that wouldn't bring back any of the people he had murdered. He deserved to live with what he had done and their families deserved the truth.

"C'mon lets go, it's been a long night."

I nod and allow him to steer me back to his Camaro. We ride home in silence and unfortunately all this does is give me time to think. To be honest I wasn't sure if I'd ever get over Damon. He snuck up on me and no matter what I did there he was, with his witty comments and awkward flirting, only it was so much more than that. He was basically my best friend, always there for me and constantly pushing me to do more. I was afraid of him because he made it hard to focus on anything else, it was all consuming. That kind of emotion isn't something to be taken lightly. What would I do now? I stared out as the trees passed trying to think of a magic solution to all of my troubles.

…

**Stefan's POV**

16 days since Elena turned into a vampire, and I'd seen her only 9 of those. I hadn't been meaning to ignore or avoid her but subconsciously it felt strange to be around her. Seeing her speed around, being so agile and strong was difficult to get used to. Everyone seemed to have forgotten the fact that she had _died_. No one was in mourning at all, in fact Damon seemed to be thriving on it.

I take another sip from my drink and see a shadow descend as someone takes the seat next to me.

"Drinking alone? That's the first sign of depression Stefan," Katherine's sarcastic voice cuts through my thoughts.

"And drinking with you is the first sign of insanity, I'd choose the later." I turn to look at her in the stool next to me.

As usual just the sight of her made my skin crawl. I couldn't forgive her for everything that had happened over the years and her presence just bothered me. I wish she would leave but she seemed to have a knack for popping in uninvited.

She smiles at me and orders a drink from the bartender looking around the Grill.

"That's so odd. I could have sworn there was this less attractive version of myself you're smitten with always following you around, and yet I don't see her here." She looks at me and raises her eyebrow feigning interest.

I sigh before giving in to her games and answering her, "I'm not sure where she is Katherine, if you want to talk to her you'll have to find her yourself." I take another sip and try to think of something else I can be doing right now, nothing comes to mind.

"Oh, she's at a bar outside of town with Damon."

I try not to make a face at her words knowing that she's only trying to goad me; remaining silent I take another drink.

"Of course I already knew that when I asked, I just like seeing the look on your face when you find out." She smirks and drinks her own drink.

"Why are you here? Don't tell me you're coaching Elena, you don't take me for the friend type." I wait but she doesn't give me an answer so I get up deciding to leave her alone to come up with some lie she can tell me later.

"If you think Klaus is going to leave Elena alone after this then you're more stupid than you look. Sadly, Klaus isn't even the worst thing you might have to face."

I turn and sit back down reluctantly. I know how Katherine operates. She drops things like this on you to keep you hooked and half the time whatever she's telling you is a lie – or at least not the whole truth.

"You're underestimating me. I know how you work and I know when you're lying." I hope that if she's telling the truth this will bother her, and it does.

"You were just wrong three times in one sentence Stefan, that's a record for you. Klaus will go to the ends of the earth to make more hybrids. I'm a vampire and I've been running for 500 years, there's clearly a reason for that."

"You were running from Klaus' revenge," I answer in an uninterested voice, I'd heard this story before.

She laughs at me before answer. "If I was running only from Klaus and his revenge I wouldn't be in this town. I can blend in here because people can believe that I'm Elena; anywhere else in the world and I'm on my own. Surprisingly it's a lot safer to be Elena sometimes – well not now."

Now I'm worried. Her face is serious and calm, a look that doesn't cross her very often. The logic in her argument is true as well. If she was running from Klaus then she wouldn't have risked being so close for the last two years. There are still unexplained parts to the story though, and to have these while arguing with Katherine is dangerous.

"Why are you worried now? You've been hanging around here off and on for the last two years and you haven't mentioned anything."

"What's the difference between now and a year ago? Elena's a vampire, and once that gets out she's going to be taking notes on how to survive; not from you guys either, from me."

I down my drink and stand, "Let's go, I deserve an explanation."

…

As Stefan and Katherine walk out of the Mystic Grill a tall man wearing a dark blue hoodie smiles from beneath his shadow. He knows now that Elena is in fact a vampire and the rumours are true. Still smiling he takes his cell phone out of his pocket and leans back in his chair, being careful to monitor the bar around him for any signs of a threat. Being a human in a vampire's world is dangerous business, especially when you plan on dealing with them directly instead of ignoring their existence.

The phone rings three times before anyone answers, but this is normal for the boss he is calling.

"I'm in Mystic Falls and the rumours are true. The human doppelganger has been turned." He pauses waiting for an answer but he's aware that is unlikely. Hearing the breathing on the other line he continues to report.

"Katerina Petrova is here and she seems to be protecting the girl but hasn't told anyone the real reason." Again another wordless pause, as the hooded man's smile slips a bit. He assumed the boss would be happy with the information.

"The Originals are here as well."

"Ahhhhh." The hooded man's smile returns wider than ever. The boss rarely ever exchanges words over the phone, but having the Original's in the same town as the Petrova Doppelganger's is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The voice gives one raspy phrase, "I'm on my way." The connection is cut off and the hooded man puts his cell phone back in his pocket pleased that he was able to report back so quickly.


	20. A Little Bit of Truth

**I'm in a grumpy mood tonight – looked up tuition costs and admittance requirements for law school today and discovered they're both horrible… So I'm going to be projecting myself through a snarky Katherine and a jealous Elena. Also, thanks to all who reviewed and to Starjade101 who grew my ego by at least three sizes! Lol Enjoy.**

**Stefan's POV**

Katherine came in two versions; self-preservation and overpowering. When she wasn't busy protecting her own ass then she was preoccupied with playing people. Unfortunately, we had returned to the house to talk about dangers to Elena which really didn't concern Katherine. Of course this meant she was in her more annoying mood.

"Do you think they're dancing or did they just go there for a bite? Stefan you should be worried, your brother's quite the charmer." Katherine's been lying on the couch taunting me for the last 10 minutes, but in a solid stand against her annoyance I've refused to acknowledge her.

"If Elena dressed better and was more fun we could probably be friends, I mean we're practically sisters." She looks over at me from the corner of her eye as I sit in the chair waiting.

With a huff she sits up and gives in, "When I turned myself into a vampire I knew it wouldn't end there. An Original wouldn't just let me waltz through eternity, especially a homicidal one like Klaus. I made alliances, figured things out. I found out a long time ago that there was a way to stop the transition and reverse it, only it didn't apply to me because I was already changed. That's why I came back to Mystic Falls when I heard about Elena. I figured one of you would be the one to turn her and I wanted to know which unlucky brother was going to die. I was betting on Damon." She flops back down and puts her feet up once again.

"Curiousity? That's why you're here? I don't believe it. Why are you really here?" I glare at Katherine and for a second I attempt to find something in her that sucked me in when I was a human… Whatever it was left when I was turned. The woman sitting in front of me flexes her fingers like there claws, picking at a nail and sounding uninterested.

"Nope. You get one - I get one, its question for question. When you texted me you said you wanted help with Elena because her change wasn't normal. What did you mean by that?" Typical Katherine, trading information and acting as though everything is a game.

I figure that I'll get more answers if I give a few of my own so I answer her question, "She's strong, apparently as strong as Damon – at least when she's angry. I've noticed her self-control is easier than normal too." Katherine seems to think this over for a bit before answering me.

"It's a side effect of already being a doppelganger. I had the same things happen to me when I changed. If I was you I'd try to hide that information though, it gives her an advantage over anyone who thinks she's just average, I'd know." Katherine speeds away and in an instant she's back with a blood bag from the freezer. I'm thrown off by her helpfulness, even though I've seen it a few times.

"My turn; did you hear about Klaus ever finding a way to turn a vampire human?"

She rips open the bag with her teeth and I can smell the blood from where I'm sitting. For a minute it takes over and I have to take a deep breath to make sure the veins in my face don't come out. The battle for blood has been raging ever since I threatened to drive Elena off Wickery Bridge. Despite my appearance it wasn't as nearly as easy as I made it look.

"If he ever found a way he didn't use it. He had the perfect opportunity when he had me stuck in that rampaging history teacher's apartment. Even though I'm sure Elena is less difficult then I am, I would assume that should he have found a spell by then he would have used it on me as punishment for escaping the first time." I absorb these ideas as she asks her next question, "If Elena chose you why is Damon still in town? I heard about your little deal." She smiles as I glare at her.

I'm thrown off guard again and become more than a little annoyed at her constant toying. "There were extenuating circumstances. Elena's death wasn't in the original deal. You said there are worse things than Klaus to hide from and that's why you were here. What do you mean?"

She sighs and rolls her eyes sucking on the blood bag and looking condescending, "Use some common sense. First of all I'm not saying Klaus isn't dangerous because he is, he uses powerful witches and he's always looking for a way out, it's probably best to keep as far away from him as possible. Second, when people found out about Elena being the doppelganger there were probably several people wanting to kill her to stop Klaus from breaking his own curse. Some people in the supernatural community did know about the hybrid, very powerful people. Once everyone in the western hemisphere heard about Klaus going on his adventure - killing werewolves and trying to turn them - it was obvious that Elena had died. Nobody knows that she's still alive. If they figure that out there going to come after her and make sure she's really dead so that she won't ever be able to help Klaus. It was actually safer for her to have me in the same town, that way they wouldn't spot me in Paris and Elena in Mystic Falls at the same time and know she was alive. You're welcome."

"That has nothing to do with her being a vampire… According to your logic she'll probably be safer now because people really could mistake her for you. Wouldn't this information have been more important like, months ago after Klaus broke the curse?" Even I can hear the distain on my own voice as the question comes out.

"Sorry, I've been busy. It's not easy being me." She throws the empty blood bag on the side table and puts her hands behind her head looking relaxed.

I shake my head and attempt not to get angry. I should have expected no less from her. There was no emergency, she just felt like telling a dramatic tale to someone who would listen. Elena was in the same normal amount of danger that usually followed her around and I had fallen once again for the _'I want to help you'_ line.

**Elena's POV**

By the time we got back to the boarding house I was starving and only a fraction less upset. My vampire emotions were wreaking havoc on my mind as I felt several of them all at once. I was guilty and sad in regards to Damon – although these were two emotions that often popped up. I was angry and confused over what had happened to that murderer in the alleyway. I felt remorse and pain at the image of the woman that kept invading my thoughts, even though I had actually nothing to do with her murder. I guess the mental image of stabbing someone would leave emotional damage on anyone. Mumbling to myself I walked behind Damon as he made his way into the living room.

Seeing Katherine did absolutely nothing to rally my spirit. Sure she had been less horrible the last two times I had seen her, but it was still too weird to consider trusting her fully. She wasn't helping her own case tonight as I could see she was in full pain-in-the-ass mode.

"And the best friends return, eat anyone tasty while you were out?" She sits across from Stefan and I can tell she's already been bothering him as he has a sullen expression on.

"Are you alright?" I stand behind his chair as I ask him, keeping an eye on Katherine and trying to give her my best icy stare.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How was your night?" Stefan shifts in his chair to look at me and put his hand on mine.

"Eventful." I have no idea how to express how horrible yet simultaneously rewarding it was. I frown and try to think of a way to explain it but Damon comes to my rescue.

"We took an educational field trip and someone learned how to compel people, only she ran into possibly the worst case scenario in the world." Damon walks over to the fire, only half paying attention to the room behind him.

I can see Stefan tense up, "Worst case scenario?" He looks at me questioningly and I finally find a way to explain, although possibly not the best way.

"I ran into a murderer who thought I should become his next victim. Pretty crappy pick, long story short I compelled him to turn himself in instead of killing him." I try to say the sentence quickly, like ripping off a Band-Aid.

"Mm I would have done the same thing." Katherine agrees from the couch as she sits up to reach the table and scrounge off of Damon's liquor supply. "Sure death is quick, easy, good for most problems; but there are some who deserve to suffer." She lifts her glass as a toast to her sentence as she downs it.

For a moment I believe things can clearly get much worse, and I cringe at the thought of having the same pattern of thought as Katherine. I shrug it off and chop it up to our supernatural connections.

"You have some of the worst luck I have ever seen." Stefan rubs my hand and gives me a small smile. I attempt a smile back that comes up a little short at the edges. I feel better knowing that he's no longer avoiding me and that he's at least making an effort to return to normal now. Everything has been so backwards for the last two weeks that it's nice to have a little bit of normalcy.

Stefan's phone goes off and I can see from over his shoulder that it's a text message from Caroline.

'**Meet at Gilbert house right now, don't bring Lena it's a surprise!****'**

"I can see that you know." I smile down at the phone and raise an eyebrow.

I get a smile in return, "I'll be right back; you know Caroline means business." I nod and take Stefan's chair as he leaves.

As soon as he's gone Katherine decides she's going to have a one woman party. She starts dancing around to her own music and drinking straight from the bottles. I have to admit that although she's doing it alone, she does look like she's having fun. What I wouldn't give to just have a few minutes of freedom from this crazy life I've seemed to adopt. As I think about this I suddenly pause and consider the wish I've been making this entire time. I have had moments filled with fun like this and the problem is that they end so quickly. I amend my wish and imagine what it would be like to have at least a week's worth of carefree attitude, which I definitely deserve.

Katherine makes a beeline for Damon and attempts to get him to dance with her.

"C'mon Damon you're the fun one." He pours himself a drink from her bottle but then refuses her offer. As usual, an offer from Katherine is actually a command in disguise.

"I want to celebrate the fact you aren't dead, I heard about Klaus' attempt to keep Elena human." She puts on a fake pouty face as she continues dancing in front of him. I have a strong urge to go over and knock her out but I keep myself collected knowing that my emotions are able to control my actions now.

"Really? Kind of like that time you almost got me killed when I was going to stake Elijah. I'm not in the mood for your faking, why don't you find a different house to haunt?" Damon has the same annoyed look he always wears when Katherine's around and I try to shoot him a look that says not to egg her on. It doesn't work.

"Me find a different house to haunt? I'm not the one who made the deal to leave Damon. Why are you still hanging around; got a master plan to steal your love back? I'd make sure it was a good one, if I recall it didn't go so well with me." She stops dancing around and gets close to him, less than a foot away.

I can see the hurt in his eyes mixed with anger, and I know that his next actions will either be a witty retort or violence to protect himself. Instantly I become angry at and decide that this isn't something that he should have to deal with, and wouldn't be if it wasn't for me.

"Leave him alone Katherine, you're getting on my nerves." She looks over at me but doesn't move away from Damon who still looks like he wants to rip her head off – or at least snap her neck.

"If I recall my plan was beautifully executed, only the bitch I thought I loved was a deceitful, manipulative little tramp." Damon's words are laced with sarcasm but also with warning and I could tell he was angrier then he let on.

"I was just giving you some advice. Let's face it, when being compared to Stefan you kind of need it."

She doesn't even get to bat an eyelash at the end of the sentence before I throw her into a wall, her body going sideways mid-flight. She lands on her side but immediately gets up to come back at me.

"You think just because you're a vampire now you can stand up to me?" Her face changes as she pushes me back and I fly back to hit the edge of the chair, catching myself before I fall and returning to throw her down over one of the end tables.

The knick knacks sitting on the table smash into glass pieces beneath us as we fall mixing with the wood bits of the table as I scramble to regain my footing after tossing her down, but she recovers quicker than I do. With a strength I've never seen from Stefan or Damon she slams he down into the floor and hovers above me still hanging on to the front of my shirt. I can feel my back indented into the floor but my anger doesn't ebb as we fight and it only takes one more comment to push me over the edge.

"Please, you're a carbon copy of me; don't forget they loved me first."

With a groan I push up as I see everything around me in red. I'm so mad at Katherine I could actually snap her neck and deal with the consequences later. The veins in my face burst out madly and I struggle to push against Katherine. For the first few seconds she doesn't budge and she simply smirks down at me, but she quickly loses her smile as she loses an inch of distance between me and the floor… and then another. Her smile disappears altogether as I give a final shove and push her back before slamming and pinning her into a wall.

She squirms and pushes against me but only manages to move a bit before I put my arm across her collar bones and keep her pinned against the wall. She pushes against me several times but I can see the surprise and anger on her face as she realizes that she can't get away. I'd be surprised myself if I wasn't so damn angry at her. Over active emotions tend to do that to you.

"I'm not a carbon copy of you. You're a selfish bitch. Stay away from both of them or I'll stake you myself." I give a final shove and will away the veins in my face. Katherine actually gives a grin before I turn, determined to make it to bed before anything else bad happens today.

As I turn I see both Damon and Stefan staring with surprised looks on their faces. Damon's of course holds more pride than surprise. I throw up my arms as I pass, "Yes, I can take Katherine. Who cares!" With that I stomp my way up the stairs contemplating my growing list of abnormalities.


	21. Things Are Looking Up

**Thanks for the reviews you guys, it's great to know people are following along and I'm not just writing this to tide myself over to the season premiere. To Smokinghotvampires – I KNOW! I'm so sorry about the mistreatment of Damon, but I don't like those fanfics where they have Elena realize the error of her ways only to run off in the sunset with him and make babies. He's gunna have to suffer only a **_**bit**_** more before things get better (spoiler alert things get better in the next chapter). As for the show I can only hope they stop using him as a doormat, I'm not sure if everyone here has read the books but if you haven't do it! The books put a much more interesting spin on the Delena relationship. Enjoy!**

**Elena's POV**

"Eleeeeeenaaaaaa," a long whispery voice tries to shake me from my sleep, but I hold on to it.

"Wake uppppp," the voice tries again and this time I find my eyes flickering, a groan escaping me as I try to hide my face from the light.

"GILBERT! UP NOW!" I'm brought out of my sleep in an instant as Caroline's demanding voice yells in my ear and someone jumps on top of me.

I make a very unattractive grunting noise and try to cover the blanket with my eyes. Using my senses I make out that Caroline and Bonnie are both in the room.

"What the heck, it's like 6 am go away." I know it's useless to argue with Caroline when she's determined.

I push the blanket back and look over at the clock which reads 6:40am. I look around and silently wonder where Stefan is, as he convinced me for the first time since he left with Klaus to sleep in his room with him. I still hadn't moved my things from the guest room I had been using, it had seemed a little awkward. I was so comfortable being on my own for the last while.

"Come on, get your butt out of bed you're gunna make us late." Bonnie walks over with an armful of my clothes and throws them on the bed.

I groan and try to throw the covers over my head once again, "Late for what?"

"Well there's this really awesome place – total vamp hotspot – anyone who's anyone goes there. They hang out and talk." Caroline bounces around being dramatic and sarcastic; I realize that I really have no idea what she's talking about.

"Yeah, you may not remember it because it's been so long but it's kind of mandatory." Bonnie laughs and lays at the end of the bed.

"Congratulations Elena, you are officially well enough to go back to school!" I laugh as Caroline reveals the punch line and I realized that I must be half asleep if I didn't figure that out.

It's been just over two weeks since everything happened. I hadn't returned back to school because, well I was in mourning for Alaric, and I guess myself too. I was also waiting to make sure I had control and that Klaus was off my back. I grin as I jump up becoming even more excited. This was the kind of normal everyday stuff that I wanted to get back to.

"But Care, what about you and Tyler? Isn't the council on to you?" I feel my grin drop as I think of one of my best friends hiding at home.

Caroline's smile never falters, "Meredith came over last night; she finally got into a council meeting! Turns out they think Alaric went crazy or something. My mom is slowly getting them off vervain though so that we can compel them just in case. Tyler and I talked and we figure it's safe to move back in with our parents."

Just like that I'm back to being excited. As usual even with Bonnie and Caroline's help it took me several minutes to decide what to wear to my first day back. I fixed my hair in a high ponytail, knowing that Katherine wouldn't be caught dead in one, and headed downstairs. Stefan and Jeremy were already up eating breakfast.

"Ready for your first day back?" Stefan flashes me a smile and I give a genuine one back.

"Definitely." I immediately find my way to the coffee.

"You sure? A lot has changed since you last went. There's an entire pile of homework waiting on the table at home." Jeremy's in a good mood too and I can't help but notice that he keeps glancing over at Bonnie.

It's nice to have Bonnie back and although not everyone has forgiven her she's keeping her head up. The only person who hasn't forgiven her is…

"Why is there a band of overly cheerful loud morning people in our house Stefan?"

A sleepy eyed yet sarcastic Damon walks into the kitchen, clad once again in only pants. My instinct is to turn my head the other way and count to 10 slowly but I manage to stand still and look elsewhere instead. Let's not make a big deal of this – it's my over active emotions, at least that's what I silently tell myself.

"Don't worry we'll all be gone soon, we're going back to school." Stefan seems happy as he flashes another smile and starts putting things into his bag.

"School? Really, you people are still doing that?"

"Not all of us can sit around the house all day drinking and moping." I joke with Damon as he attempts to steal my coffee but I pull it out of his reach before he grabs it. As a human this would happen almost every morning. I'd come over to hear news about Stefan, make myself coffee and have it vanish out of my hands before I could even have a sip.

"I don't think so, I'm a vampire now you've gotta be quicker than that. I already poured you a cup it's next to the pot."

Damon helps himself to the cup and sits down. I notice that everyone has stopped talking and I feel anxious under the silence and frequent stares. I feel like mentioning that I heard him coming down the stairs, and I know he has to have coffee in the morning but then I realize I don't need to explain myself. I take a deep breath and try not to let my emotions get jumbled.

"Oh my gosh, we have to leave. We still have to get Tyler and we really are going to be late." Caroline gets up and grabs her purse and keys.

I grab my bag and head out the door with everyone, hoping that school will still feel like it did when I was human.

After a week I realize that maybe human Elena didn't like school either. Seven missed assignments later and I've just caught up with all of my classes. What's worse is that my absences have caused a bit of a slip in my grades and to make up for that and still be on track for college I have to do some serious extra-curricular. Of course fate would grant me the most unlucky of assignments. I'm appointed the position of co-coordinator of the winter ball which is fast approaching. I would have been fine with helping Caroline plan the dance, but when forced into a position it's hard not to feel spiteful. My track record with dances doesn't exactly encourage me to be optimistic either, but I hold my head up and beg Bonnie to join and eventually the two of us are put to work.

Besides the planning and school work most of my life has returned to normal and it feels… _weird_. I'm not trying to be ungrateful for the lack of horrible events but after so much time spent dealing with the worst, everything returning back to normal is different. Jeremy's officially back and staying, no longer in Denver. Stefan's back and in school again, as though he never went on his killing spree with Klaus. Damon is back to being the sharp tongued older brother although he is definitely different than he way before Stefan left. I can't help but feel something ominous coming.

Aside from the extra-curricular activities I've had to do at school, I also find myself having lessons with Katherine. She's not exactly the worst company but certainly not the best. Once we both blew off steam from our argument she came back to the boarding house to talk about the differences in being a doppelvamp. I didn't mind since I had a list accumulating. After several discussions on why we're different I finally gather the courage to ask about my list.

"I've noticed a few things are really different from a normal vampire." I can hear the apprehension in my voice as I say this during our conversation, and I feel worried. As usual we're holed up in the living room of the boarding house alone on a rainy day. I've never been able to guess whether Damon and Stefan chose to leave on purpose or Katherine concocted some excuse for them to leave.

Katherine gives me a piercing stare before asking, "Like what?" from her spot in the chair.

I decide to give her the whole list and let her choose which ones to bring up first. "Well I already know about our emotions and how we have to deal with them no matter what. You've told me that it's easier to resist the cravings too. What I don't understand is the strength, and the mind reading." My voice goes flat as I reach the end of my sentence and I feel stupid for calling it 'mind reading' but really what else will I call it?

Katherine's face goes from calm to a few cracks that show the shock, then immediately back to being calm. "The strength is surprising to me as well. When I turned I was immediately stronger than many vampires. I knew it was supposed to grow with age but I had no problem taking down vampires who were 100 years older than I was. After testing the waters a bit I figured out that by the time I had been a vampire for 50 years I was evenly matched at 300 years. Clearly you got a really good gene because yours is even more advanced." She actually gives me a sneer before continuing and for a second I pity her and the fact that she had to figure this out on her own.

"It might have to do with the fact that you were in better physical shape when you died, or it might have something to do with the way you died. I'm really not sure and we don't exactly have an encyclopedia to consult. I'd ask a witch if it was safe enough, but it isn't. Trust me your strength is the best weapon you have. One look at you and anyone outside of your circle of friends will size you up as a weak newbie. Don't let anyone know about it."

I nod and take in her words, deciding to be silent until she answers the next one. She decides to question me instead.

"What do you mean by mind reading?"

Great. Now not only am I a freak but I'm different from the only person who is supposed to be the same as me.

"When I was with Damon at the bar he gave me a lesson in how to compel people. At first it went fine but then I pushed too hard and I sent some guy running out of the bar. All I'd asked was for him to buy his mom flowers and I didn't mean right away but suddenly he's bolting out to get flowers. Then when I was outside this guy was following me and I was kind of pissed off so I turned to compel him. The next thing I know I'm looking into his thoughts and seeing him kill people. I kind of shook myself out of it and when I finally came back to my surroundings he was angry and had actually seen the same things I had." I finish and feel nervous telling Katherine this. For all intents and purposes she was my enemy not that long ago, but curiosity and a lack of anyone else to go to has me telling her this.

She considers what I've said a moment before answering. "It started to happen to me a little while after I turned. It wasn't easy at first. When I was angry and I tried to compel someone I noticed it was much easier and they listened with such a force. Mostly it just happened when I was mad, but I don't really compel people to buy their mother flowers so I guess it could happen for good reasons too." She smirks and gives me a once over but I ignore it.

"As the years went on it got easier. If I put a lot of emotion behind my compulsion I could feel it become stronger. One time when I was very angry I almost compelled a vampire." She gives a smile at this and I can tell she's bragging. Clearly a lot of effort would have to be behind that, not to mention that no one besides an original can do it.

"What about the mind reading part?" I ask growing impatient; this was the main reason for my question.

"I can't remember what year it was, I'd only been a vampire for a few years. I met this gorgeous human named Antonio. He was a bit of an outcast; no family or friends. I was in a bad mood, narrowly escaping Klaus in Spain, he'd taunted me about the death of my family. I compelled Antonio to let me stay as a guest with him for a few days. I moped around, drinking some of the cities guards. One night I was following a man when I saw a woman in the market square. She looked exactly like my mother. I actually ran up to her and tried to talk to her before I realized that it definitely wasn't her, that it was impossible. I went home and I was depressed and guilty. It was one of the few times that I wished I would have died instead of chosen to live for all eternity. Antonio came in and saw that I was upset; he tried to be nice to me. I wasn't in the mood. I went to compel him to leave and all of the sudden I was in his head. I felt despair and loneliness and his memories showed me a time when his mother died and his wife had left him. He had tried to commit suicide. Once I got out of his head I saw that his attitude had changed too and that he had seen the exact same things I had."

Katherine drops off and stares out at a wall and I wonder how she has survived this long without the ability to turn off her emotions. Her description has me captivated as it matches perfectly what happened to me.

"What happened?" I ask, urging her to continue her story.

Her eyes go hard and lose any wistful look they had while she was reminiscing. "I didn't compel him to forget it. He committed suicide the next day."

I blink a few times before I open my mouth to speak, "What the hell. Why didn't you compel him to forget?"

"It wasn't my problem. They were his memories; he had access to them whenever he wanted. I just happened to bring them up and amplify them with my own emotions." She's gained back her cold, calculating survival mode and I know there's no point arguing with her.

"Well has it ever happened after that?"

"Three or four times since then. I'm not an expert on it but I think it's like projection. When a vampire compels someone they picture in their mind wanting that person to do something. The Originals can control the amount of effort behind their compulsion but they basically do the same thing too. When we compel someone it's like our emotions are also being sent over. If you don't keep them controlled we end up projecting our emotions on that person and I think if they're too strong that's when we make the connection and we bring out in that person whatever kind of memory our emotions invoke."

I smirk at her insistence on 'not being an expert.' Clearly she's mapped this all out pretty well.

She notices my expression. "This isn't something to laugh about. It's dangerous you know. You provoked a murderer to attempt to kill you and I convinced someone to attempt suicide. Not to mention no one else knows how to do this. For 500 years I've been the only one to know about this and now you can do it too so I'm trusting you're not going to go around unleashing your anger on people and announcing it to the world." She pauses and adds a smile to her face. "Although you're able to do it with good emotions too so maybe it won't be too difficult for you."

Her odd compliment freaks me out and I find myself cutting the conversation short so that I can bolt out of there. It's still odd to see Katherine being _… kind?_ I guess you could call it that. Sometimes I still have this feeling that she's not entirely on our side, but then I remember that she trusts me to keep a secret of something that she's been keeping alone for a very long time. She could kill me and keep it to herself but she doesn't, so I guess she deserves a little bit of trust in return. Wow, it's sad when I trust someone because they haven't killed me yet.

…

**Caroline's POV**

Two days until the ball and no one has a dress yet. This is literally the biggest catastrophe, or at least I'm going to focus on it being so because it's nice to have shopping emergencies instead of death/magic emergencies. Getting back into high school mode and dealing with limited dress wardrobes is exactly what we're supposed to be doing as seniors and I'm going to make sure we have an ounce of normal in our lives. I pick up my cell and dial Bonnie.

"Hey Bonnie, we have to meet ASAP."

"Careeeeeeeeee, aren't we finished with all of the plans? The dance is in two days and it's practically set up already." I hear muffled laughter in the background and immediately grow suspicious.

"Yes, but we've neglected the dresses and they have to be perfect. Unless you have a ball gown sitting in your closet I suggest you get ready because we're going tonight to get one."

"Um, alright, but can you pick me up from Elena's house?"

"Yeah that's great, she needs a dress too. Should I be there in like 30?"

"Elena's at the boarding house actually. I'll call her and tell her we're picking her up."

"Wait, wha-"

"See you in 30!"

The call ends and I grin at the screen. A picture of Bonnie and Jeremy is still saved under Bonnie's number and I know from the call and from the way she's been acting recently that her and Jeremy must be getting along.

30 minutes later I pull up outside of Elena's house as Bonnie gets into my car. She's already blushing and I can see Jeremy in the window watching her leave. She buckles her seat belt and I put it in gear before I start my interrogation.

"Spill, all of it."

For a moment she considers denying it, or maybe finding a way around it but then she gives in. "Alright but not a word to Elena about this yet. I'm just not sure where we are yet. Jeremy and I have kind of started dating again, sort of." She's still blushing and I'm happy to see it.

"How can you be kind of, sort of dating?"

"I don't know. We're taking it really slow. I don't want it to fall apart again like it did before. We were really good friends afterwards but then after everything that happened with Klaus set us back again. So for now we're just trying to be friends."

I smile and look at her out of the corner of my eyes, "Friends with benefits?"

"Oh my god we are not having this conversation." We both burst out laughing.

I continue to interrogate her until we get in listening distance to the boarding house; picking up Elena successfully ends the conversation about Jeremy. Bonnie and I both know that it's not over, just saved for later.

Four hours later and only two of us have found a dress. Bonnie has a dark green strapless ball gown with a very tight fitted top. My dress is a deep purple gown with thick straps at the top and a very, very deep V at the back. I can't help but feel pleased that I've found a dress that's more beautiful than the one Klaus sent me to wear to that ball. Unfortunately, Elena's dress is a little more difficult to find.

"What was wrong with the last one? I thought it looked fine." Elena grumbles as I pass her another dress and take the last reject back.

"Fine is not beautiful or sexy, fine is boring." I try to explain it to her but I have the feeling she'd rather pick a 'fine' dress and leave.

"It's our senior year Elena, you have to try to pretend you're excited for this dance." Bonnie explains as she searches through another rack looking for the right dress.

"Guys my luck with dances has pretty much been 0 for … like 6 since I met Stefan. I no longer have good expectations when I walk into a room with loud music." Elena comes out wearing the yellow dress I just passed her and I immediately push her back in to take the hideous thing off.

"Just because you've had a bit of bad luck doesn't mean you should give up! We officially have no one trying to kill us, I for one would love to sit back and enjoy a dance before our high school experience is over." I try to persuade her as I search the rack again.

"I'm sorry, I'll try. I really would like to go to a dance and spend the evening dancing instead of having someone threaten my life, or any of yours." Elena's dejected voice comes from inside the dressing room again.

A gasp makes me look up. Bonnie is holding up a dress and is beaming but before I can take a look at it she rushes over to the dressing room and passes it to Elena. I walk over and join Bonnie standing in front of the dressing room door.

"Oh," I hear Elena whisper as she walks out of the dressing room. The dress she's wearing is one of the most stunning dresses I've ever seen. It's a deep dark blue silk, just a bit darker than the dress she wore to the Miss Mystic Falls pageant. On the first layer of dress it looks like it has a sweetheart neckline made of lace and sequins but it has silk on top of this which pinches together and comes over one shoulder. It goes all the way to her ankles with a lot of flares but on one side there is a slit so high that it may even be against dress code.

"Holy crap," is all I can say to describe her dress as she stands there looking down at herself.

"Maybe I will enjoy this dance." Her voice is almost a whisper as she starts to smile.

**I'm just adding this tidbit at the end to thank Karen for her encouragement and to let Starjade101 know that she's on the right track when it comes to Stefan either being okay with their friendship or confronting them! Also even though I love clothes I suck at describing fashion so these are the inspirations for the dresses (in case my descriptions leave you absolutely no mental image lol).**

. /_hlQbCgONpOY/THsrmfW6qmI/AAAAAAAAAIk/5ugWRc2j1VU/s1600/Nina+Dobrev+Zuhair+Murad+

/Dark%20Green%20Ball%20Gown%20with%

**And I couldn't really find one that I pictured as Caroline's so here's some lady in a purple dress :P**

www.


	22. My Classmate Is A Late Night Snack

**I'm avoiding an author's note today so you can go right into the chapter – which is longer than normal. To DanielWhite – Damon's definitely going to find the dress stunning!**

**Elena's POV**

Caroline could be described in many different ways by many different people. Depending on who you were and what your relationship with her was like you could describe her as pushy, confident, caring, airheaded, etc. To me Caroline was one of the most honest and good hearted people I had ever met and I appreciated her constant efforts to make sure that her friends and family would make the most out of life. At the moment though, I could really use some ear plugs.

"Nooo! The banner doesn't go there guys, it has to go at least three feet to the right." Caroline yelled over at a group of guys helping to put up banners in the school gym as they shook their heads and looked ready for a mutiny.

"Maybe we should try to calm her down a little bit?" Bonnie whispers as she comes up beside me carrying a box of beautiful paper snowflakes.

"Snowmen are tacky! This is not ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!" Caroline storms off in another direction leaving us alone to deal with the boxes of snowflakes.

"Nah, as long as it isn't directed at us we'll be fine." Bonnie and I both laugh and get to work hanging the glittering shapes from different arches around the gym.

I have to admit that Caroline is an excellent decorator and the gym didn't look like a cheap high school dance. Her theme was winter wonderland but as she mentioned there were definitely no fake snowmen hanging around. Everything was done in elegant shades of white, silver and light blue. There were white lights and crystals glittering everywhere and not a single piece of gym equipment could be identified. You could imagine that we were having this ball in a huge ballroom at the top of a snowy mountain. Caroline had definitely outdone herself this time.

"Could you help me find the ladder?" I turn to Bonnie with a large glittering snowflake in my hand and point to a section on the wall I had to cover up.

She turns her head side to side looking around then snatches the decoration from my hand.

"Hey, what ar-"

The snowflake flies out of her hands and hovers several feet above my head before floating over to the wall and attaching itself.

I smile and shake my head, "You know maybe growing up so different isn't such a horrible thing after all."

"I saw that!" For a second Bonnie and I both panic, looking around for the source of the voice but after a moment we calm down. Stefan and Jeremy are coming towards us and Jeremy is giving Bonnie a large smile… one that I've seen before.

I turn to look at Bonnie and notice that she isn't paying attention to me at all, but looking over at Jeremy with the same grin. By the time Stefan and Jeremy reach us I have a pretty good idea of the secret shared between them.

"You guys are still here? It starts in 3 hours how much more work is there?" Jeremy asks us both, but his attention is still focused on Bonnie.

"Absolutely nothing but Caroline's determined that it's going to look as amazing as possible so we've been searching for mistakes for hours." Bonnie laughs and keeps her eyes on Jeremy too.

I wonder if they're trying to hide this or if they just don't notice how obvious it is.

"Well it looks beautiful in here." Stefan wraps his arm around my waist and gives me a smile. I struggle to expel the gnawing in my stomach that tells me I'm uncomfortable. I decide to distract myself with a little confrontation.

"Who are you bringing to the dance Jeremy?" I smile as I cut in with my question.

Jeremy's focus snaps to me and his grin crumbles, "Um, I think I'm just going to come by myself." He puts his hands in the pockets of his sweater and tries to look unaffected by this statement.

I sigh and fight back my laughter; Jeremy had never come to a dance by himself for fun. I shake my head before answering, "You guys never learn. I really don't mind you know."

After a second of watching their blank stares I change tactics, "Jeremy did you know that Bonnie has no date to the dance? Wouldn't it be honourable of you if you decided to take her? We did put a lot of effort into all of this after all."

Jeremy smiles again and rolls his eyes and Bonnie mouths the words _thank you_. Stefan squeezes me around the waist and as we're plunged into an awkward silence Caroline appears.

"Alright, gym's done. Dress time!" And with that I'm saved by Caroline.

…

It takes most of the three hours for us to get ready and we use our house as the base of our operation. Jeremy and Bonnie snap out of their silent staring contest and start to act themselves again. Jeremy cleans up exceptionally well in his tuxedo and I'm proud, as this is one of the first times he's going to a dance and enjoying himself. He's also managed to avoid failing any classes and getting stuck on punch duty.

As it nears nine o'clock I start to get the gnawing feeling in my stomach again and I drink a few blood bags in the hopes in will go away. It feels uncomfortable as though I'm anxious, and I know it's because of Stefan. We'd agreed to meet each other at the school and I suppose we'd informally decided that we'd be going together. After he'd put his arm around me this afternoon I had realized that I wasn't really sure where we stood in our semi-relationship. We were in strange waters; I hadn't told him that I had picked him before I died, but he knew that I had. Still, with everything that had happened shortly afterwards and his avoiding me when I became a vampire, we had simply gone back to how it had been before that night… but then how did you even go back to that? He had spent a summer killing people and attempting to drive me off Wickery Bridge. All I know is that I'm definitely not at the stage of holding hands in public, and I'm not even sure if I'm at the point of going to this dance together as a couple.

It was ironic that not too long ago I was nervously calling Stefan and trying to pluck up the courage to ask him to go to one of these dances. That was so unlike me, to be nervous. I was Elena Gilbert, I didn't get nervous or jittery and I definitely didn't worry about asking guys to dances. Somewhere between my parents' death and my own I had lost who I was and I was struggling to reconcile that with who I had become. Sure I was no longer the person I had been, but that didn't mean I was going to ignore most of the most important characteristics of my personality. I wouldn't always be saying 'I'm not her anymore,' I would figure out who I was. Pep talk aside, it was time for us to leave.

As usual Bonnie and Caroline look amazing and by the time we arrive their moods have lifted mine considerably. As we walk in I catch sight of Tyler, Stefan, Damon and Matt all standing together. I can't help but smile as we approached them. They look just as excited as we do, most likely due to the fact that nobody's trying to kill anyone this time and there are no risky horrible plots.

"Wow, now I know why it took you three hours to get ready. You look great." Caroline blushes as much as a vampire can at Tyler's compliment and they immediately step into each other's arms.

As I'm about to comment on Damon's attendance Stefan twirls me around, catching me off guard. He'd never been much of a dancer, unless he was drunk or in ripper mode.

"You look beautiful." I smile a bit at his comment and make a dramatic curtsy.

"Thanks," I still have the anxious feeling as we talk, but it starts to dwindle as everyone else takes over the conversation and I find myself becoming excited again. We had been through so much, this was a well-deserved treat. Even Damon looked like he was enjoying himself more than usual.

"Come on enough talking," Bonnie pulls Jeremy onto the dance floor and one by one all of our friends follow. I offer Stefan a get-out-of-dancing free card which he gracefully declines, and we make our way to the dance floor as well.

It was nice to talk to Stefan, like old times, and it made my uneasy feeling completely vanish. We laugh a little but mostly talk about our friends and the amazing fact that we were finally safe. After a few dances we noticed everyone had stopped to talk and so we went to join them.

"Yeah like that time my parents called and you tried to pretend to be me because I had passed out. Always covering our asses." Tyler joked and Matt nodded while laughing.

"Pretty sure I was the one who was always saving you guys. I must have lied at least a hundred times about where I was when I went out with my older sister. I'm probably gunna develop a complex," Jeremy smiles as he sees me and they continue to talk about all of the irresponsible things we've done over the years. I can't help but think they'd be standing here for a while if they went through all of it.

I notice Damon out of the corner of my eye as he stands off to the side and I decide that now is a good time to bother him about being here.

"Aren't you a little old to be here?"

His telltale smirk lights up, "Ric seems to have exaggerated my interest in volunteering for the school. Good news is there are several of your classmate's mothers who are happy I'm playing such an active role in the community." He gives an eyebrow wiggle to top it off.

I have to stop a snort from escaping my lips as I laugh at that. "I guess if they get bored of you, you could always tell them firsthand accounts from the civil war era. Maybe you even met some of their mothers."

"Did you just inadvertently call me old?"

"I don't think there was anything inadvertent about it."

One moment I'm talking with Damon, acutely aware of the way he's looking at me but as usual making a joke of it and not taking anything too seriously, the next arms are locking around my waist and I'm spinning around to find the source of my entrapment. Stefan's standing behind me shooting an odd look at Damon that vaguely resembles jealousy. Before I can say anything about releasing me or questioning what was going on his lips crash down on mine.

I tense, caught off guard and slightly offended. I didn't want our relationship to move along so quickly, and I definitely wasn't in the mood to be kissing in public. I knew that vampires had difficulty controlling blood lust when that was mixed with normal lust. What if my face veined out in the middle of a crowded room?

If I'm honest with myself that wasn't the only reason. I had no idea where our relationship stood. We had just spent months separated while he was ripping people apart, and as happy as I was that he was mostly back to normal it didn't mean we would press rewind and go back to making out in public like nothing had happened. Not to mention he was doing this in front of his brother, whose heart I had repeatedly crushed and was determined to restore.

As he reaches up to cup my face he releases my waist, I jerk back putting both hands on his shoulders to push myself. "I need a drink." I don't wait to gauge anyone's reaction, catch my breath, or hear a response. I spot the best looking refuge of crowded people and dart for it. A kid is sitting in the corner on a dark bench looking miserable and slipping drinks from a flask. I don't bother looking around to see if any of my friends have followed me in my outburst.

"Hey," the guy looks up at me with a pitiful grimace as though he's been caught stealing from the cookie jar, "I need to borrow your flask for a second."

For a second he hesitates and I consider the pros and cons of compelling him. Finally he hands it up to me. I drink most of it in the first swig and when I return it he looks impressed and surprised.

"If you plan on walking around drinking like that I suggest you get some juice to go with it."

He has a point, and as I give him a polite smile I turn and walk towards the large crowd of people surrounding the food table. Thankfully I can see none of my friends here and it allows me time to sort out the massive wave of emotions and thoughts that are all struggling to come forward.

I find the punch and pour myself a glass. Maybe I was being irrational and was putting too much into it. It was just a kiss, it's not the end of the world. Sure it felt strange and out of place but we had spent months apart, of course it would take time to readjust. Still, I wish there could have been another time and place to do this, not standing in front of Damon in a crowded room. Before I could build up the courage to turn around and go back there was a loud smashing noise.

Punch flowed over the floor and pieces of glass tumbled around my feet. I look down to see a girl from class, Amber, attempting to pick up the remnants of the punch bowl.

"I'm so sorry, it was way too heavy and it just slipped." She apologizes over and over, and I stoop down to calm her and help pick up the pieces.

"Caroline's going to be so mad," she gasps as she starts plucking pieces off the ground.

I laugh at her statement and try to reassure her that Caroline would be fine, "It was a mistake, everyone makes them. Even Caroline."

That's when I hear the slice and the word, "Ouch."

Looking over, Amber's crouching next to some glass and I notice a bright read streak running down her hand. She's cut herself on a piece of the glass bowl, and the blood's now flowing freely on to the floor.

"Great, I make an even bigger mess."

I don't answer her because I'm battling every nerve and instinct in my body. I understand now how Damon could kill people so easily before. It was like there was a need to rip into someone, and the blood smelled so good when it was fresh, being pumped out of the veins by the heart itself. I take several deep breaths in an attempt to calm myself down but it makes things worse as I breathe in the rich scent. I stand up, aware that I had probably used my unnatural speed – but I don't really care. If I didn't back away soon I was going to consider draining the entire dance. I take one step back as Amber tries frantically to cover her cut. I fight twice as hard to take a second step back and when I finally force my feet to move I'm proud. I wasn't going to kill anyone, and I didn't even need any help. That's when Stefan decides to ruin my parade.

With a shove he's standing in front of me; I never even noticed he was near. He pushes me back further and I almost lose my footing, stumbling because of the force behind his push.

"Stop it, you don't have to shove me." I can hear my own weak voice over the crowd.

"Yes I do, you can't handle this." He turns to look down at Amber and for a second I think he's fighting his own internal battle, but then the look on his face leaves.

"Look I'm alrigh-"

"Get out of here now! You're going to hurt someone, just leave!" He gives another shove and I'm so angry that I turn and leave, not because I'm following his annoying demands but because I'm eager to get away from him. I bump into Damon as I storm off and he tries to grab my arm but I skirt around him, ignoring whatever it is that he's trying to say. Let Stefan deal with everything.

I seek refuge in the girl's bathroom, and as I walk in I almost rip the door off its hinges. It isn't fair, sure I'm worried about people but I had been fighting against my urges myself. I didn't need anyone to hold a bottle and coddle me. It had always been this way, poor Elena Gilbert, so precious that she needed to be protected at all costs. People were always trying to do things for me that I should have been learning for myself and when it came time for me to step up and save them I was told to sit back down.

I leaned against the sink and tried to calm down. Between trying to sort out my own identity, relationships, and blood lust, today was not a good day to be a teenage vampire.

The door opens and fate slaps me directly in the face. Amber crosses the room, still clutching her bleeding hand and none of my friends are anywhere in sight. I'm seized by another overwhelming sense of anger, as usual I leave it to Stefan and he doesn't even follow through. Then I realize I'm in big trouble as she walks over to me and the sinks.

"Elena, I'm so sorry. I just wanted to apologize again. Stefan told me about your fear of blood, I guess if I was you I wouldn't really be a fan either. Not that, I mean. Sorry." She gives up on her explanation and smiles my way, which I try to return.

"It's fine."

I think about making a break for the door but I'm stuck leaning against the sink. Mesmerized by the blood running down her arm and hand, pooling into the sink next to me. All I can do is stare at it and breathe in the scent.

"Do you mind helping me? I got these bandages from the storage closet but they might be hard to put on with one hand." She hands me a large roll of gauze and some rubbing alcohol.

Well this was the ultimate test of my inner strength. Here I was alone with a girl who had no idea she was ten seconds and one bite away from death. My hands shake as I try to unroll the gauze, never taking my eyes off her hand. I try to wrap it around her hand, but as I fumble blood starts to run onto my own hands, and it's over. I can feel the veins build up on my face and in a split second reaction I speed down and bite her hand.

Oh. It's amazing, a mixture of earthly tastes and energy all in one. I hear her give a scream but it seems far away and unimportant. The only thing worth thinking about is the rhythm of blood being pumped onto my tongue. I squeeze my eyes shut and let it take over like a poison filling my system. There isn't anything I can relate it to in my human life. Maybe if I had been starved for weeks and then presented the biggest feast, fit for a king, but even that wouldn't live up to this.

"Elena! Stop." Damon. The voice definitely belongs to Damon, and I realize that I'm biting Amber's hand.

Disgusted I immediately stop and back up so fast to the back wall that I crack the tiles. Amber looks around clearly bewildered and looking for a way out. Although I'm still aware of the fact that her blood is running out onto her arm all I can see are the two figures standing near the door.

Damon is closest, and he quickly grabs Amber by the arm to get her to look at him. I can tell he's compelling her but what I'm focused on is the face behind him. Stefan stands just inside the doorway with a horrible expression on his face. I've seen this face before, a mixture of pity and disgust. I try to put all of the emotion I feel into my eyes as I look over at him, pleading for him to understand. I feel like I've committed one of the biggest sins, and I've somehow let him down. I can feel tears welling up in my eyes now.

"Stefan, I-"

As I take a step forward and try to explain he shakes his head and turns, rushing out the door with a SLAM behind him. I stand there staring at the empty space where he had just stood. I can't believe that had just happened.

"There, you're all fixed. Go ahead." Damon finishes wrapping up Amber's hand and she leaves the bathroom.

I turn back to the sink and put my hands on either side, staring into it and avoiding my reflection in the mirror above. Stefan had just walked out once again, without so much as a 'are you okay?' It was like a specialty of his to remain broody and distant, always punishing someone. Tonight that someone happened to be me and I couldn't put the picture of his face out of my mind as he stared at me. I was a vampire, so what? He should be able to accept that seeing as he was the one who had been there when I died. Bitter thoughts fill my head and I realize with a grinding noise that I've cracked a part of the sink under my bloody hands. I release the edges and watch as bits of porcelain crumble into the sink, eventually I turn the tap on to wash the blood off my hands.

"Are you alright?"

I jump a bit and even I'm ashamed of the lifeless tone my voice takes on, "Well I did just use one of my classmates as a late night meal."

Laughter comes from behind me and Damon takes a step closer, "It was more like a night time snack. You did pretty good, you know that right?"

I scrub at my hands, not knowing how he can possibly define that as good.

"You just walked into the girl's bathroom to see me sucking on someone's hand… how is that good?"

"Don't hold yourself to Stefan standards they're unrealistic and self-imposed. You stopped yourself out there and in here you barely drank any of her blood. Not to mention I didn't have to pry you off her, you stopped yourself. Do you know how long it takes vampires to learn that kind of control? Caroline killed the first person who had a tiny cut on them. Stop trying to be a saint."

That's when I realize that what Damon's saying is true, but it means so much more to me. I have been holding on to my old identity and trying to live up to everyone's expectations. Well I wasn't that person anymore, and there was no need to act a certain way for other people. No wonder I was feeling odd lately, conflicted between who I was and who I had been. I was Elena Gilbert, confident and spunky and now I was a vampire. Ever since my parents had died I'd lost that fire for life I had possessed. Here I was wallowing because my very mopey boyfriend couldn't get over the fact that I was no longer human. I had gone through worse things than biting someone's hand. When Stefan had left I was forced to change, and I'd gotten stronger. I wasn't going to breakdown, and I wasn't going to waste a perfectly good dress.

Wiping off my face in the mirror I pinned another one of my curls to the side and turned around. Damon stood in front of my regarding me critically as I smiled.

"Are you waiting for me to break?" I raise one of my eyebrows as I ask him.

"That'll never happen." Finally his smile returns.

I snake my arm through his and turn us around, "This is a ball Mr. Salvatore, don't you think we should dance?"

He smiles and leads us out of the girl's bathroom.

…

The gym looked amazing under Caroline's watchful eye and attention to detail, but dancing with Damon transformed it into an actual winter wonderland. As a slow song came on and we made our way around, dancing in perfect harmony, I couldn't help but marvel in how easy it was to turn a night around.

We hadn't been able to find Stefan after his getaway, and Jeremy had thought he'd seen him leave. To be honest, I no longer cared. I was determined to have a good night and enjoy myself for once.

"I didn't get a chance to tell you earlier, but this dress has to be my favourite so far. You look stunning." I smile as he says this and it brings up the memory of his compliment at the Mikaelson ball.

"You clean up well yourself. It's a little unfair to everyone else." I take a moment to appreciate and make a mental snapshot of Damon in an Armani suit. If there was ever an outfit that looked perfect on him it would be this. There was just something about his sharp blue eyes and dark messy hair that was magnified ten times when accompanied by a suit, and made him look like a god walking among men. I wasn't exactly going to say this out loud though; his ego probably didn't need it.

"How is it unfair?" He narrowed his eyes and smiled as he looked at me and if it wasn't for him holding me up to dance I feel I would have turned away.

"Look around you. You're not even in high school and yet here you are at their dance making them look like 10 year olds playing dress up." I give my own smirk and hold my head up high as I make the compliment which I know will only make him more sarcastic.

"And you don't think you're doing the same thing? You could be dancing around real royal gala's Princess." His smile faded a little and his face grew serious, I knew I was in danger now.

"You know it's a good thing you're a vampire now and no longer a human."

"Why's that?" I ask, barely containing the confusion in my own voice. Nobody had given me a plus as to why being dead was better.

"You're not breakable anymore. The outer strength now matches the inner, and you don't have to sit your own battles out, not that I'd let you fight them. You didn't have to make the difficult decision whether to turn or not, only whether to live or die. Time has no meaning now either, anything you ever wanted in your life but felt you'd never achieve is in reach. As a human you'd lived a little less than a quarter of your natural life and a lot of it was focused on pain. I'm not saying that everyone gets an easy life but I'm glad you get a chance to thoroughly enjoy yours." As he lists off the different reasons I grow more and more relieved.

Here were some of the things I had been considering when I had chosen to follow through with the transition, and these were easily lost once I found myself dealing with blood lust and other impulses.

"It's nice to hear someone advocate for it. Is that what you thought after you turned?" In the back of my head I know I should steer clear of serious conversations and keep to the safe back and forth banter, but I can't help it.

"No, but I figured out the pros and cons as I went along. I was different than you were before I turned." He steers clear of any Katherine conversation and I do my best to do the same, but I disagree with him.

"That's not true. We're more alike than you think. We both have a fire for life and the need to protect our family. Now you have eternity to do whatever you want and you get to spend it with your brother, occasionally. Not to mention that as vampires we definitely get 'passion, adventure and a little bit of danger'," I quote his line back at him and laugh.

My own speech reminds me of a question that I have always wanted to ask Damon. "What do you want to do for eternity?" Even with all the time we had spent during the summer, it's not as if we had occupied ourselves with questions like 'what's your favourite colour?' Mostly it had been things like 'will we find another ripped up body today?'

For a little bit he just sways on the spot, staring at me intently. Then his sarcastic smile comes back and he lifts me up to twirl me around. "Spend it dancing with you."

For the first time in a very long time I completely enjoy myself. For several hours we all dance together, take photos and talk and I forget why I had any worries about tonight. Damon even convinces Caroline to dance with him and I have a much needed dance with Matt, as we talk about old times and how much everything has changed. Eventually Damon and I go off once again to dance for a while and talk; memories of the past year come up and I know how lucky I am to have a best friend like him. We're so caught up in our own conversation and each other that I don't notice the dance is over until they turn the lights on.

Most people have already cleared out for the night, and I'm amazed that so many hours have gone by so quickly. I realize that this is mostly because of the man in front of me. He's so consuming that when I'm with him nothing else seems to matter. I lose track of time and everyone else as well. That's what is so frightening about being with him; he manages to make me forget things that are most important to me.

After searching for a little bit it's obvious all of our friends have left and Damon offers to take me home; although after scanning the parking lot we're forced to walk, as Stefan seems to have taken Damon's car. Once again I'm awestruck by how distracting Damon really is. The walk is at least 25 minutes but it seems to go by so quickly, and I don't want the night to end. All I want is a little bit of happiness to hang onto because often it doesn't last very long.

Standing on my front porch Damon gazes into the lit windows, "You sure you want to stay here? You know you can still stay at the Boarding house if you want."

I smile but frown quickly afterwards, "No, I don't really feel like being gaped at. I think I'll steer clear for a few days." I turn and look into the window, seeing Jeremy talking to Bonnie.

"Thanks for not letting me ruin my own chance at enjoying a perfectly good ball." I joke and turn to find Damon standing in front of me. Even if I was a vampire, I'd never get used to him doing that.

"My pleasure. You deserve a bit of fun – adventure." His tone makes me shiver and as I gaze into his deep blue eyes I wonder if I would be able to move from under his gaze, not that I bother to try. He moves forward a bit more.

"You deserve all of the passion a person can possibly give." I melt, unable to even say a word as he stands only inches from me. My mind wanders to the kiss we shared in Denver and I swear my heart stops beating. It's a good thing I'm a vampire because I've definitely stopped breathing.

"And we both know you enjoy a little danger." Any reserve I ever had crumbles at his words. It's too overwhelming, too intense. If I wasn't rooted to the spot I would have jumped him by now. I can't even get my head to form coherent thoughts, let alone any reasons why we couldn't repeat what happened in Denver. Why fight something so amazing?

He inches closer and just as I'm about to see fireworks explode in the sky, he shifts his head to the left and kisses my cheek.

"Good night Elena." He whispers into my ear and takes a few steps back before turning. I finally find the ability to breath and gasp out a good night back to him. I can hear him laugh at my reaction as he walks down the stairs and into the night.


	23. Excellent Hearing

**First of all I AM SO SO SO insert a thousand more so's SORRY! Seriously I wanted to **_**finish**_** this story before the season premier and instead I take like 3 weeks to put out this chapter :( I'm super swamped with midterms, essays, presentations, etc right now. I haven't been able to read a book of my own choosing since the beginning of September… I've been writing this chapter three or four sentences at a time each day and having to go back and make sure it actually goes together well. But none of this is a proper excuse, and since my midterms are officially over I am going to be driving full steam ahead on these chapters so if anyone is still out there, enjoy! **

**Ps. Did I mention I was sorry?**

Three days of being avoided by Stefan, three days spent at my own home, three nights dreaming about Damon Salvatore.

At first I thought nothing of it. Vampires can dream, just like humans. Besides I've experienced all kinds of strange and confusing dreams before and the stress these past few days was just getting too much. Just because I had once dreamt that I could fly didn't mean it would happen. Unfortunately, the dream I had been having was starting to chip away at the stone that was my psyche, because it was the same dream every time and it had happened for three nights in a row.

To be fair the dream started a little differently each time. The first time I had been sitting in the library at school, of all places, searching through a book for a paper I needed to write. I searched and searched, flipping through the pages at extraordinary speed, not finding the information I was looking for. Soon I had a pile of books growing in front of me as I cleared through them. That's when Damon entered the dream. From this point on each dream was identical. He'd hold his hand out waiting for me to take it and say, "Come on, I'll show you." Each time I thought it meant something different – like 'Come on, I'll show you where to find information on the Roman family for your paper' – except that afterwards I was painfully aware that dream me was seriously naïve. Taking his hand created this weird blur and the next thing I know we'd be spinning circles on a beautiful marble floor, while holding my eyes on his silvery blue ones. We were at a ball in a large palace somewhere foreign, Italy by the look of the architecture and country side. We danced under the stars on an outside terrace and it was the most thrilling moment I've ever dreamed. It wasn't cute or sweet or comfortable, I wasn't at the Mystic Grill or dancing in a gym full of paper snowflakes. It was exhilarating and intense, imitating that moment in a horror film when you know what's about to happen and you sit on the edge of your seat, hiding your face and thinking about how you can't prevent it, only in a good way. Sometimes I would wake up while we we're dancing, other times it would happen when we kissed at the end of our dance.

When I woke up it was sudden and unexpected, jolting back into reality and twice I actually sprang to a standing position beside my bed, breathing deeply. Unusually I didn't have the normal misgivings that I did when something like this happened. I wasn't hurting anyone – but myself. This was dream Damon, and my actions weren't having the same effect on him as they did in real life. Besides they were just stupid dreams, nothing to get guilty or all worked up about.

Except I was getting worked up about it. Bonnie was tired of me drilling her about precognitive dreams and other witchy explanations, especially since I wouldn't tell her why I was suddenly so interested. Jeremy didn't understand why I always looked so frazzled in the morning. Katherine grew seriously suspicious when I asked her about doppelvamps and weird dreams which prompted her to try and mess with me and mention the fact that experienced vampires could manipulate others minds while they were sleeping. The dreams coupled with Stefan's silence easily turned me into a semi-emotional wreck, which _some_ people took notice of.

"Are you going to explain your seriously odd behaviour or am I going to have to stake it out of you?" Caroline asks as she takes a seat at the kitchen counter and pulls out some books for school.

I do my best to hide my face as I throw my bag down beside the counter and open the fridge, sheltering myself on the other side of it. "I don't know what you mean Care."

"Elena, you're a vampire who doesn't even need to eat food anymore and right now you're stuffing yourself in that fridge so I don't see your lying face. Just spit it out already."

With a sigh I turn and shut the door, walking to the counter and leaning against it. I speak while staring at my fingers and picking my nails.

"I've just been stressed out lately. Stefan still isn't talking to me, every time I try he avoids me. I don't even know what to say to him, am I supposed to apologize? And it's not like he's even explained to me why he's ignoring me."

I look up from my fingers and see that Caroline is staring at me intently. "You're the master of difficult guys; if you really wanted to talk to him you would come up with a plan and we both know he'd be forced to listen. There's something else bugging you." She eyes me suspiciously.

There's just no escaping Caroline; it's one of her most prominent traits and it was magnified tenfold when she became a vampire. Speaking of being a vampire, "Do you know how to mess with people's dreams?"

"Well that was an abrupt change of conversation. No, but I've learned the basics. Why?"

"I think Damon might be messing with mine." I try to keep my voice calm and detached, but seeing the look on Caroline's face tells me I'm doing a bad job of it.

"Um, ew? I can only imagine," she continues to stare at me suspiciously as she continues. "Vampires have to be close to you to do it, maybe even staring at you. I heard that you can always tell the difference between normal dreams and illusions because the characters will act oddly. Like when you think of someone you have your own idea of what they are like, but when vampires project others into your head they might seem different because it's their idea of what they are like."

I mull this over as she explains. It definitely didn't seem like a different Damon, he was acting normal for Damon anyways. Besides if he was projecting himself he could probably do a good job of it; still I had the idea that maybe I was wrong about the cause of the dreams.

"So are we going to go over there and give him the talk or are you going to explain?" Caroline crosses her arms in front of her and now I know that I have to tell her. It's been too difficult to keep it to myself anyways.

"I keep having this dream over and over again." I explain the dreams to her, how they each begin differently but end the same. I even admit that twice I woke up quickly and never saw Damon.

"Elena, that doesn't sound like you're being messed with, it sounds like your brain trying to tell you something." She actually smiles as she starts skimming the books in front of her and shaking her head.

"What do you mean? I thought maybe it could be just one of those weird things that happen to me, but then I started talking to Bonnie about precognitive dreams. Only I don't think it's a vision of the future or anything because I don't really plan on going off to Italy or wherever with Damon anytime soon. Maybe I'm going crazy?" I realize I'm rambling and that Caroline is still staring at me and smiling in my direction. She looks as though she's watching a child try to figure out how to operate a new toy.

"Look you are supernatural in a hundred different ways, and you've dealt with more odd occurrences in these years than anyone in their entire life. But you're kind of forgetting that you're first and foremost a teenage girl." She actually takes a pause to laugh at me before she continues, and I try not to stare at her in confusion. "Maybe there is no super-secret dream code to decipher. I know you love Stefan but you spent a long time getting to know Damon and I'd be stupid not to admit that you guys have something going on."

I start to shake my head and interrupt her before she can continue but she pushes forward, into what I deem as dangerous territory.

"It's true! I could see it as you guys worked together when Stefan was gone, even before that you were basically the only person who could get him to listen. Bonnie and I tried to ignore it and even to stop it but we shouldn't have. You guys move around and complement each other's actions in this weird orchestrated way that even I've never seen before. You've changed so much, and Stefan is my friend but the least you can do is to listen to your head and stop pretending that you haven't fallen in love with Damon."

I'm momentarily speechless. Sure I've talked about these things before but to hear Caroline say them so bluntly I'm stunned. Worst of all she went into the marked danger zone. The "Do Not Enter" "No Exit" "Danger" zone.

"No, look I'm sure you're right and it's just me being over dramatic but no more analysing my feelings all right? Don't go there," I plead with her in an attempt to avoid the entire conversation. I turn and go to my back for my books, looking for a distraction.

"Hey, if I've said something wrong let me know but we both know I haven't. You're the one denying it to yourself." She throws her hands up in mock defence and I drop the books back in my bag and return to stand on the other side of the counter.

"It's not that easy. I can't just go around saying or thinking things like that!" I break my own rule and start thinking about it myself. I don't want to talk about my feelings for Damon because they really aren't simple.

"Why can't it be that easy? Elena Gilbert is in love with Damon Salvatore. Look how easy that was for me." Once again she pushes me to answer her and I feel I have no choice; soon she may start mocking me in songs.

"Ok! Ok! Stop saying it. It can't be that easy because it isn't. Nothing about Damon is easy; it's the total opposite of Stefan. Loving Stefan is simple and natural, you don't even realize its happening. It's sweet and genuine, nobody doubts it and it doesn't get in the way of anything else. Damon is… Difficult. It's like all or nothing for him Caroline, and it scares me, ok? I can't go there." By the time I'm done with my speech my voice has wavered down into a whisper, and I realize I've just voiced some of the concerns I've been holding in for a long time.

"So, you're not going to admit you're in love with him because it's difficult?" She sighs and shakes her head again, "This is very unlike the Elena I know. She loved a challenged."

I give her a smile at that comment, it's mostly true. "I have enough challenge in my life for now. Can we just stick to one problem at a time, come up with a solution and deal with it?"

She gives me a smile and closes her school book, "Sure. Which problem is that?"

…

Two hours later I'm sitting in my car just down the road from the Salvatore house. I panicked at the last second and pulled over but quickly realized that this was to my advantage. If I'm going to catch Stefan off guard I'll have to walk up and be as quiet as possible.

I get out of the car and reflexively pull my coat tighter around myself as I start walking. It isn't necessarily cold out and I'm a lot more resilient to it now anyways, but it's a natural motion for me. Walking slowly helps me sort out my thoughts and by the time I silently reach the front door of the house I'm all but sure that I have an answer to whatever Stefan can throw at me – if he decides to stop ignoring me that is.

I pull my fist up to knock but hesitate, considering that I tried this same tactic yesterday and was rewarded with silence. Besides I'm not here to be polite, I'm here for answers. I quietly turn the handle and make my way inside. There's no one in the living room so I race upstairs, but before I even reach the top of the stairs I know there is no one up there either. For a moment I forget my mission and saunter along the hallway. Damon was always out and about, but where would Stefan go? Maybe he left again?

My thoughts wander and I realize I'm standing in the middle of the hall staring at a large painting. If anyone was in the house they would have realized I was here by now. Just my luck, he was taking his avoidance of me to a whole new level and avoiding his own home.

Angrier than I was before I make my way down to the basement to get a blood bag. As I round the corner I snap out of my daydreaming and realizing I can hear noises from the end of the hall. I'm surprised whoever is down here hasn't heard me by now, and being so young I can't determine whether it's a human or vampire. I creep slowly along the hall and at the last step I jump out around the corner to find the person I've been looking for amidst a clutter of empty blood bags.

"What the hell!"

Stefan jolts as he looks up and snaps out of his drinking to see me standing in front of him. There are empty blood bags littering the floor and he sits with his back against the freezer with one in his hand. There are several blood stains on the front of his shirt where it has run down his chin.

"Elena, I can explain." He stumbles as he tries to get up and looks frantically around at the mess.

I'm not even sure what to say. I take two slow steps back as I process the scene in front of me. I had been sure that Stefan was ashamed to see me taking human blood, and I'd felt horrible for doing it. Yet here he was doing the exact thing he hated most. It made no sense; there weren't even any signs of him losing control. He had simply quit drinking human blood after almost driving me off Wickery Bridge. I felt betrayed, like things had gone back in time to when I was the "human blood bag" he was assigned to protect. Even the expression on his face now made me feel that way; a look of pity, guilt, and embarrassment.

"No, I don't want to hear it." I make my decision to leave but as I turn he grabs my arm.

"Please, listen to me. I know you came here to talk and I want to talk too," he pleads as he tries to hold on to my arm but I pull it from his grasp.

"I've been trying to talk to you for three days! Suddenly, now that I've caught you doing this you want to talk too?" I try to turn away as he grabs at my shoulders to get me to look at him.

"I know it looks bad, but I'm in control I swear."

My anger boils over at his explanation and I turn to face him, "I've heard that before, that's when you almost killed one of the girls at the founder's pageant. Besides I'm angry because you freaked out when I accidently took some human blood and yet here you are being hypocritical."

He winces at the memory of the founder's pageant and I reminisce about coming down the stairs to see Damon waiting for me. Maybe the dreams were something important? After all that had been the day that Damon and I danced.

"This is different, these are blood bags. You fed off a human!" He backs up and lets go of my shoulders, becoming defensive. "You could have hurt her or any of the people around you, and you're okay with that?"

I can feel myself beginning to shake, I can't believe the things he is saying. Stefan would never think or say these kinds of things. The entire conversation reminds me of the lies he came up with when he lost control and I remember Damon's advice as if it were yesterday, _Damon this is Stefan he never lies! This is ripper Stefan, Elena. He'll do whatever it takes for the feed._

"I'm not you! I'm not going to hurt people over blood. I drink blood bags Stefan, I don't hunt animals. I can control it just fine if I'm given the chance but you've never even considered it. You keep treating me like I'm going to hurt people, like I want to."

He shakes his head as he looks at me still standing several feet away, "A year ago you wanted to sacrifice your own life to save everyone else, and now you're okay with taking blood from one of your classmates."

"Stefan, I would still sacrifice anything to save my friends and family, but I'm not that girl who cries when she sees blood. I've changed and I'm not going to feel bad for something that I didn't mean to do and didn't hurt anyone." I try to plead with him but I can't keep my anger away. I can tell by the look in his eyes that he isn't changing his mind.

"I can't do this." I turn and storm up the stairs, half expecting him to attempt to stop me but he seems to have given up.

As I come around the corner at the top of the stairs I run into Damon.

"What's gotten you all hyped up?" I try to side step him but he stays in my way.

"Ask your hypocrite of a brother downstairs." I push past him and head for the door.

…

**Damon's POV**

I race down the stairs as quickly as possible to find him leaning against the freezer staring at the wall across from him. It takes about five seconds to guess what went on here, with all of the blood bags scattering the room and stains on Stefan's shirt. I have an urge to run after Elena and make sure she's alright but I know she will be; I decide my brother needs my help more than she does.

"Well, that's unfortunate. Didn't anyone ever teach you to share?"

"You are the last person I want to talk to right now Damon." He puts his head in his hands for a moment before looking back up again.

"Oh, maybe you want to have a chat with Elena again? I'm sure if I just go get her she'd love to sit down over tea." I cross my arms and lose the smile, preparing to launch myself into the actual problem at hand.

Stefan opens the freezer to pull out another blood bag and starts drinking it. He doesn't respond to my harassing and I know he's waiting for me to start my big-brother-talk. I've been a vampire for a long time and I've developed an attention to detail and at the moment he doesn't look like he's lost control. Sure there are a lot of bags on the floor, but he's drinking it like he wants to, not like he needs to.

"I'm not even going to ask you what you're doing down here because I wouldn't understand it and I don't think you're going to drink from humans again. You can at least explain why you're being so hard on Elena. She barely did anything."

He laughs before answering and it's an odd, hysterical sound. "I bet you're really happy with the way things turned out."

I'm confused and a little concerned but I don't bother showing it. "I'm normally not happy with the way things turn out but go ahead and try me."

"I'm talking about Elena." Stefan jumps up to sit on the freezer as her talks, "Look at her now: strong, drinking human blood, as fast as we are. I'm sure you're ecstatic."

I can tell that he's being serious but never-the-less my anger grows a little at his statement. "Dead. No I'm not particularly happy that she changed if that's what you mean. She deserved to live her life."

"Isn't she your star pupil? You molded her over the summer into what she is now, its perfect. I thought she would change a little when she died, but not this much." Stefan actually believes the words that he is saying and my attempt to hold my anger in check is wiped away.

"I didn't mold her into anything, certain circumstances forced her to have to change and I helped her as much as I could. She had to be stronger, a little less optimistic, and more independent. If I remember correctly you're the one who created that need for change. She didn't change when she died, she's exactly the same minus the vampire aspects."

"She didn't change? She died! Elena is dead! Don't try and tell me you can't see the differences now. The girl we knew through and through has died." Stefan waves the empty bag in front of himself before throwing it on the ground.

A loud bang overhead causes us to go silent, and I can't help but turn on my sarcastic smile as I realize what has just happened.

"Well you were right about one thing, I'm sure her hearing has become excellent, even all the way from the front door." I turn to leave but stop and speak to Stefan once more before leaving, unable to help my attitude. "I don't think you have to worry about me changing anything little brother, you seem capable enough of screwing up things by yourself."

**- Did I mention I was sorry?**


	24. I Just Can't Do This Anymore

**So here's another one! It's kind of a filler but I have the next chapter planned out and I'm super excited :D There will be Delena. As well, I actually have the entire story planned out, its just taking a lot longer to get out because I didn't realize how wrapped up you could get in small things. Anywho, hope you enjoy it.**

**Elena's POV**

The front door slams shut behind me with an ominous bang as I make my way to the kitchen, throwing my coat into the living room. I can tell Jeremy isn't in the house, which is good because right about now I have no urge to see anyone – living or dead. I go to the fridge and pull out a blood bag but instead of drinking it I hold it in my hands. The bag is cold and there's condensation building on the outside now that I've taken it from the fridge. The blood squishes around inside and I just stare at it, wondering how something so inconsequential can have such an impact in my life.

Death, hunger, anger, guilt, happiness. This bag filled with blood can affect so many things; so many relationships and personalities. It was my blood that Esther used to turn Alaric into a monster. Jenna was killed so that her blood could profit an original vampire that she never even knew existed. Damon's blood cured me, changed me and led me to feed off of Jer, whose blood gave me a new chance at life. _Stefan_. My thoughts shift back to the mental image of him sitting amongst a litter of empty blood bags. Blood turns Stefan into someone he isn't, someone he hates to be. He resents blood so much that he tries not to drink it, but he's capable of losing control and killing.

I squeeze the bag and all of my anger rushes back. I don't want any of this right now, it's a reminder of how messed up life can become. I toss the bag back into the fridge but unfortunately my emotions have seized control of my actions and I throw the bag too hard, splitting and spilling blood all over the inside of the fridge. Groaning, I go over to the cupboard under the kitchen sink and in my haste accidently tear the cabinet door off its hinges. I stop what I'm doing and take several deep breaths, then wipe all of the blood out of the fridge and reposition the cupboard door in front of it to be fixed later.

The anger I used to be able to push away as a human is impossible to ignore now. I'm not able to put on a fake smile and walk away from things anymore. I decide that taking an afternoon nap isn't depressing, but totally reasonable, and I make my way upstairs.

When I reach my room I don't fall asleep; instead I retrieve my journal from its hiding place and get comfortable on the bed. I find myself flipping through earlier entries, trying to feel recognition and familiarity in its pages. After Stefan left I didn't write much, but when I did it was like a war between Jekyll and Hyde. All of the entries would start off with a mass of different emotions - how much I missed Stefan, sorrow, confusion - but would then transition into a happier view. I'd talk about my day and how I was holding up. I mentioned Damon a lot in these entries which isn't surprising.

Suddenly inspired to sort out my own feelings I reach for a pen and flip to a new page. I think a lot about what to write, and then I get started.

_Dear Diary,_

_ Elena is dead. Human Elena anyways. I'm going to spare the details for another day, as I have a purpose in mind, but I went off Wickery Bridge and now I'm a vampire. It's not as horrible as I thought it would be. The bloodlust is there but thankfully I was blessed with a gift of slight resistance and restraint beyond my years. Of course that's not all I was blessed with naturally, I have an array of talents and odd attributes that I haven't begun to figure out yet, and I'm not sure I ever will. Besides all of these changes I'm doing okay… but okay isn't something someone brags about. You don't tell all of your friends, "Oh today's just been the perfect okay day!" When someone asks you how you are an answer of 'okay' won't suite anyone, not the person you are having the conversation with, or yourself. The okay feeling can be even worse than feeling bad because at least if you are having a bad day you can pinpoint where it went wrong. I guess if I was to estimate where my 'okay' feelings began it would be when Stefan came back._

_ I know this sounds horrible and like a long time ago, but it's true. When Stefan was gone I had hope, someone to look for. When I found him I realized that what I had been looking for might not be what I had found. I wanted to transport back in time and act like nothing had gone awry but it had and I couldn't go back on everything I had learned. I was stronger, more independent, and a little less optimistic. I put on a proud face and jumped head first into whatever I intended to do. When Stefan came back I attempted to reconcile this new attitude with the old, but I had a lot of trouble. That's when things got worse, and I turned into a vampire. Stefan hadn't even adjusted to my new attitude before I was forced to change again, although this time it was more physically. Sure I have a little more understanding now, and a whole new outlook on strength, but I'd like to think that I'm still the Elena I had figured out while he was gone._

_ I was broken and confused for a while after my parent's death, and maybe something like Stefan leaving was the push I finally needed to figure things out. That's why I'm writing this today Diary. Stefan and I just had an argument. A few days ago I accidently fed on a human. It was a bad situation and I had slipped up. After seeing the look on Stefan's face I felt worthless. He used to say that I made him feel like a better person, but now I'm the one striving to keep up with his idea of being moral. After three days of ignoring me, which he has never done before, I found him in the basement of the Boarding house surrounded by empty blood bags! I didn't feel pity for him slipping up, or compassion, or guilt. I felt angry. It was fine for him to drink human blood but I couldn't? _

_ I can't lie to you Diary, if I'm honest with myself I admit the problems have been building up ever since I transitioned, even before. I've been drinking human blood since the very beginning and lying about it. He avoided me for the first few weeks after I changed. There was always this air of tension, like a teacher who takes her students on a field trip and constantly worries that they are going to cause a scene. When I saw him sitting there amidst all the blood bags something finally snapped. I don't want to spend my eternity feeling like I'm on edge, never able to enjoy being a vampire or be who I am as a person._

_ Diary, I will always love Stefan, but I can't return to the way it was before. I can't pretend that I absolutely loathe being a vampire. I can't be near Stefan while he always has an attitude that he wishes I was the old human Elena, before he left. I don't want to walk into his arms and feel suffocated, like the walls are caving in. This is my second chance and I just can't be with Stefan during it. I don't love him in the same way I used to, and he definitely doesn't either. He yelled at Damon today when he didn't think that I was listening; he told him that Elena had died, and he was right, but that Elena had left a long time ago. I know he feels the same way I do, I can tell from his actions towards me._

_ I'm crying as I write this because it's painful but it needs to be solved. I'm happy of all the prospects of figuring out who I am as a person now that I'm… well a dead one. I'm excited to learn everything I can do and find out where I will fit in with life now. So many people that I love have died and if I don't pick up and carry on what will I be achieving? Jeremy needs a role model and a family, I'm the only one he has left. I need to let go of the broken person I became after my parents death. I've had first-hand experience with a lot of evil in the world that I didn't even know was there, and it's time that I stopped hiding and being afraid. So now all I have to do is actually act on my words…_

_P.S. In case it has slipped past your notice, I left out an incredibly large and important factor from this entire explanation. We both know who that is and we both know how much has been suffered at the end of my indecisive hands. I refuse to cause any more pain. If I'm going to come to the realization that I can't live with Stefan like this any longer I'm not going involve any other factors, it just isn't fair. I'm not going to break up with Stefan and run to Damon like he's some sort of second option._

I put down my pen and stare at the three pages I've just spilled into my journal; I still can't stop the tears. I know everything I have written is true, and I know that I'm going to act on it. For now though, I allow myself some time and curl into a ball on top of the covers.

…

**Bonnie's POV**

I walk up the driveway and try to keep away the cold chills I've just received. It always feels like this going near Klaus' house. Even though I disagree with the entire concept of vampires, I can understand them as people now. Caroline and Elena are two of my favourite people in the world and no matter what they are physically, mentally they will always be the same. Not to mention I happen to think that it's up to the individual to see what happens to their own souls. I've met humans with less compassion and soul than Stefan, so why should I judge them? Still, there are those like Klaus who bother me enough to actually doubt my judgment. There is nothing reconcilable about him, and if it wasn't for the emotions of jealousy, hatred, and revenge I don't think he would feel anything at all.

I straighten up a bit and remind myself that I'm not here to see Klaus, that Elijah wants to talk and he's not nearly as horrible. Besides, I'm a witch and I can hold me own. I think. I walk up to the door and knock twice.

The door opens quickly and Elijah smiles as he holds the door and motions me inside with the grace of someone with over five hundred years of etiquette.

"Come in. Niklaus is out at the moment so we'll be able to speak freely." He closes the door as I walk in and I feel relief wash over me. Even if I attempted to look strong I can't help but admit my nervousness for the evil hybrid.

"Is something wrong?" I ask as I follow him in to a large study near the main entrance. I pick a chair and sit down as he looks out the window briefly.

"Not wrong entirely, but a little worrisome. I wanted you to know that there have been rumours flying around in the vampire community." He turns and sits down in a chair identical to my own.

"What kind of rumours?" His statement has only added to the confusion I've felt since Elijah sent me a message that he wanted to speak to me. I had gotten to know him a bit more when I was working with Klaus, and although we weren't exactly strangers I wouldn't say that we were friends.

"The unpopular kind. People have been whispering that there is a possibility that another doppelganger was found and turned. We had worked to contain the knowledge of Elena's existence before to keep her safe, for whatever the reasons may have been…" He pauses and I know he is alluding to the fact that Klaus' reasons for keeping Elena away from others had nothing to do with her safety.

I nod to encourage him to continue. "But now I don't know where this information is coming from. It's only a rumour and it hasn't spread far so I wouldn't worry about it, but I thought I would let you know in case you should hear anything from other witches or possibly werewolves, if Tyler still has a connection with them."

"Is it bad if they did find out? I mean she's a vampire now so there will be no sun and moon sacrificing to worry about." For a brief moment I wonder why he isn't telling this to Elena, Damon or Stefan but I figure I know the answer to that already.

Elena would worry about anything that might put others in danger even if there was no real threat; Damon and Stefan both love Elena and I imagine it would be an awkward conversation, seeing as Elijah seems to have a soft spot for Elena.

"You know how witches are; some seem to think they can do whatever they want as long as they try hard enough. If they are being threatened by either vampires or werewolves it could be even worse. I don't think it will stop them from trying if they really want to. But like I said there has only been some whispers and I find it unlikely anything will happen. I just wanted to let you know for her safety. My family owes her that." He gives a sad grimace that is filled with regret.

"Thanks, I'll keep an ear out." I go after that, leaving Elijah to reflect on his own memories.

…

**Elena's POV**

My heart starts to beat quickly as I walk up the driveway towards the boarding house. I decided that walking would be a calmer way of making it over to see Stefan. Not that I am calm now, because I am anything but. It had been two days since our argument, and two days since I had figured out what I was going to do. At first it had been hard to find the courage to even think about telling Stefan. He was my safety, an easy comforting place to be. Only I realized that safety didn't mean almost driving me off a bridge. Safety wasn't distrusting someone or lying to them or resenting them. Comfort wasn't feeling like you were failing someone. When I broke all of these definitions down all I was left with was 'easy' and that was just sad. I couldn't be with him because it was 'easy'.

So here I was, ready to tell him that I couldn't do this any longer. I felt bad and I was shaking but I could see the sunny sky on the other side of the storm. I had been planning this so that Damon would be out of the house. I hadn't mentioned it to any for fear that they would try to talk me out of it. I know how they feel about both Salvatore brothers and I feel like this should be my decision only. By the time I reach the door I don't even hesitate, I just walk in.

When I reach the living room I find Stefan sitting on the couch with a glass in his hand. I tense for a moment before I determine that its scotch and not blood. Walking in I can't decide where to sit, and make the split second decision to join him on the couch.

"Hi," I manage to squeak out, already feeling awkward. In my mind it feels as though I've already broken up with him.

"Hi." He takes another sip of his scotch and continues to stare a head.

I don't know how to begin the conversation I'm about to have so I side track for a moment. "I didn't think day drinking was your thing."

He gives a small smile at my attempts to change the conversation but it isn't a real one, "I thought I might need it for whatever conversation we're about to have."

Well, so much for my diversion. I take a deep breath and think of all the different ways I can start. It's not as though I can say 'We have to talk' or 'It isn't you it's me' … normal break up speeches just don't work in this context. We've been through so much and at one time our love was epic, so even though I no longer feel that excitement it's still hard to get into words.

"I can't do this anymore," the words spill out of my mouth before I can even think of what it is that I'm actually trying to say. I guess my mind had a plan this entire time.

"You're giving up on us already? You just became a vampire, your emotions will take a while to adjust." He turns to look at me with a frantic look on his face, placing the glass on the table beside the couch.

I'm actually happy at what he has said in response because I have an answer. "It's not giving up and I felt this long before I transitioned."

"How is it not giving up?"

I take another deep breath trying not to crumble as I look at him. My feelings of empathy were strong as a human and now they are almost intolerable. "It's not the same as it used to be and I can't just go back to what it was. Everything changed and so did I. I didn't change when I transitioned, not really. I already had. Ever since you left I've been fighting for things to go back to the way they were but they _won't_."

He grabs my hands and I can't help but flinch a little. Now that I had finally figured out my own feelings it felt as though the old ones have been gone for a while.

"It can go back to the way it was. We're having some trouble now because you've transitioned and its completely different, but that doesn't mean it will stay this way."

"You don't understand, I can't go back. I don't want to give up who I've become." I try to will him to understand. "I don't want to go back to being poor Elena Gilbert, whose parents died and is having a hard time fitting in. I like that I've become stronger and figured out who I was. I have you to thank for that." I don't mention that I also have Damon to thank for that.

"Elena, there isn't more than one version of you. You were just lost after their death, and then you got better. We haven't even given it much of a chance." I can tell that he's grasping at straws and I feel bad for the pain I'm causing, but I'm not going to back out of my choice.

"I've been thinking about this for a long time. I did change when you left and you know I did and I did give us a chance but I can tell now that things aren't going to go well and I just don't feel the same way as I did. I don't feel good Stefan. The way you look at me now that I'm a vampire makes me feel like I've become a monster. I don't want to spend an eternity feeling like I've failed somehow. Don't try to tell me that things can change because you've spent almost 200 years feeling that way already. When I was a human it was perfect because you could be near humanity like that again, but now us being together is bad for both of us." I spill out all of my feelings like I've committed word vomit and then look up into Stefan's green eyes.

For a moment I can see that he's battling to think of something to prove that what I'm saying isn't true but it is.

"You are better off without me so that you don't have to deal with all of the feelings that are brought up by being what you are, and I need to be able to be myself and feel good about it." I restate it again and it has finality to it as I realize that my point has been made.

I look into Stefan's eyes again but this time I see a change, he's angry and defensive now. He drops my hands and leans back to shake his head.

"It's really interesting that this entire time you've ignored the giant elephant in the room that is my brother." He almost looks as though he's about to laugh at his own joke.

"That has nothing to do with why I'm here." I try to sound calm and business-like about it, it's really not a topic I want to get into with Stefan.

"It has everything to do with why you're here!" Stefan jumps up and walks around the couch to grab his glass at the side table again, downing it. "I left, he swoops in and doesn't act like an ass for five minutes and suddenly you can't be with me because you've changed!"

I feel myself losing control of my temper as he yells and I try to rein it in. "Don't make this about Damon. I'm here because of us, and if I recall correctly you didn't just leave you also came back and tried to kill me."

He doesn't even acknowledge my warning as he gets angrier and vents it into blaming Damon. "I threaten to drive you off Wickery Bridge to stop Klaus and his minions – you never forgive me. Damon literally kills your brother, thinking he is actually dead – you forgive him. He force feeds you his blood putting your entirely family at risk of being killed by Klaus – you forgive him!" He fills his glass again and I know that my patience is gone. So much for a peaceful, albeit painful conversation.

At first I'm shocked and taken back by what he's said because it's a realization I've never made before. It is true that I've forgiven Damon for a lot of horrible things he has done and that I trust him completely now, but that isn't the point of why I'm here.

"When he does things he does them to make sure that I don't die. Yea, he's made a lot of mistakes in the past but he makes up for them. Not to mention that he's changed since he got here. You threatened to kill me Stefan, after I spent months looking for you and trying to save you. And you wonder why I changed? Almost being driven off a bridge where your parents died has that effect on people… Oh, wait! I did have that happen!" I can feel my hands start to twitch and the veins under my eyes feel a little stiff as I yell. I didn't come here to argue about Damon.

"So now you blame me for that too? You're the one who said to take Matt out first. God forbid I shouldn't let you have a say in the matter."

"What are you even talking about? No I don't blame you for that. I told you I was happy you saved Matt." Now I'm confused and angry. All I wanted to do was to tell Stefan I couldn't do this any longer.

"Look, don't try to tell me that you aren't in love with my brother. I know you are and I know that has something to do with this." He comes back over to the couch and sits down beside me and once again I barely control my temper. Most of this anger comes from the fact that everyone keeps saying that to me, but some of it also comes from the fact that I want to leave Damon out of this.

"This is about me and you okay. I do care about your brother, I just haven't figured out what that means and I'm not here saying this because of that."

"So you kiss him while never actually knowing how you feel about him? That's really reassuring." He slumps back into the couch and I know this conversation is over. I just can't do it any longer.

I can tell that Stefan's accepted what I've said but that he's fighting back in any way possible. I stand and look down at him for a moment, feeling a hundred different feelings at once now that I'm a vampire. Not one of them is regret.

"I'll figure it out one day, but it isn't important now. I don't know what else to say to you that won't result in an argument about it. I just can't do it anymore."

With that I turn and leave, with Stefan not making a single attempt to stop me.


	25. Fashion and Firearms

**This chapter actually really bugs me because it took so long to get right, and I'm still not sure it's any good. Hopefully you guys will like it. It feels kind of rushed even though it's pretty long and I didn't get nearly as much fit into it as I had planned. At least we can be guaranteed that the next chapter will be very steamy… Enjoy! (hopefully)(if anyone is still out there reading along).**

I throw my armful of clothes into the washing machine and quickly dash to pour in the laundry detergent, slopping some down the edge of the machine. Slamming the lid closed I jerk the dial to wash and use my vampire speed to rush back to my room, silently slipping the door shut just in time. I hear the front door open and Bonnie and Jeremy bustle in making quite a bit of noise, laughing and talking about school, and clearly unaware that I was just downstairs. For a minute I feel embarrassed, hiding in my room like a kid who's been grounded. The unfortunate alternative would be to go down stairs and face my friends and younger brother, who all mean well but will most likely sense that something is wrong and try solving it. It's sad to say that I really don't want to bother with any of that.

For days I've been avoiding them – not that it's particularly difficult. I don't want to sound judgemental about it, or sound as though I think it's a bad thing, but they're all happily distracted. Jeremy and Bonnie are better than ever and if they aren't here enjoying themselves then they're out on dates all over the town. Caroline and Tyler haven't had more than ten minutes apart since they were reunited. Matt is still single, but I've heard that he's been hanging out with the girl Amber from our school, the one I used as a late night snack by accident… Not to mention he's still working hard at the Grill. That leaves Stefan and Damon as two of the only people in Mystic Fall's that I'm friends with who aren't having a wonderful social life already. Meredith's been over a few times and we've talked for a while, but I haven't mentioned that I've broken up with Stefan. Even though I suspect she could tell anyways.

I'm afraid to tell anyone of what's happened in fear that they'll jump to conclusions about my decision and try to tell me what is really best. I know it's an irrational fear, but most of them are Stefan biased and I'm not in the mood for the judgmental stares and fake parental attitudes. That's one of the problems with such a tight knit group of friends, we share almost everything. There are very few secrets between us – mainly because the only people we can trust with them are those around us – and this can lead to a bit of a lack of personal space. I love them all so much and obviously I feel bad for ever thinking these things, which is why I'm hiding on the other side of a door listening to Bonnie and my brother pick a movie downstairs.

I cross my room and slump down on the bed with my eyes trailing the barren space around me. I've cleaned it three times today, done four loads of laundry since yesterday and arranged my closet according to colour. I'm past worrying if vampires can develop OCD and now worrying that if I sit in this room any longer I might just go crazy. School is a mild distraction during the day but it's Friday night, and there will be no short break from this monotony for the next two days.

Sighing I grab my cell phone and flip through the address book, hoping for an invisible sign as to someone who can come rescue me from my self-imposed prison. As usual, it's Damon who comes to my rescue. I get a text message from him and open it immediately,

_You avoiding the world, or just the boarding house?_

I can't really tell what he means by that or whether or not he knows about mine and Stefan's breakup. I had a feeling when I left that Stefan would clear out for a while, probably to avoid Damon, at least judging by his initial reaction. What if he hadn't? Then again by the sound of Damon's message maybe he did know. Yep, I'm definitely going crazy. Pushing aside all of my incessant guessing I send him a message back already making plans in my mind,

_Nope. Want to go grab something to eat? Food, not people._

I jump up from the bed and flip through my closet, already knowing what his answer will be. I find a pair of black jeans and a white t-shirt and grab my leather jacket from the chair. I can hear my phone vibrate on the bed but I travel to the mirror first and decide to put my hair in a high pony tail and wear a little makeup. How long has it been since I actually did anything fun? It was definitely before I transitioned; life seems to have a readied supply of complications to dish out at me. I take a look at myself in the mirror and even give a little smile, sending a silent prayer somewhere that for just a moment I'll enjoy myself tonight.

I cross back to the bed and fish my phone from the covers,

_I'm thinking both._

Of course he is, and I roll my eyes at the comment as I picture him saying it in his snarky tone. Before I can text back I hear the distinct sound of his Camaro coming down the road. I remind myself that I'm definitely driving tonight, because this was my invitation and knowing Damon we'll find ourselves somewhere we never intended to be, like, I don't know… Atlanta.

As I exit my bedroom I realize that this is probably the first time in several days that I'm going to talk to Bonnie and Jeremy. I try and arrange a smile, but fail and try for placid instead as I reach the bottom of the stairs and make my way into the doorway to the living room. Bonnie and Jeremy notice me and I immediately start to fiddle and put my jacket on in a slow progressive way.

"I'm going out for something to eat with Damon." I wince at my own tone as it falls flat.

"I didn't even know you were home." Jeremy gives a bit of a laugh and Bonnie looks over at me apologetically as she tries to subtly move away from Jeremy on the couch.

The door behind me opens and I can hear Damon come in. "Yea, well vampire stealth and all. I figured I'd give you guys some peace and quiet for a while."

"But not too much. Curfew is 11pm and I expect you to be out of here by then Witchy, the boy has a bedtime you know." Just like that most of the tension I'm feeling is diffused as Damon makes his usual quips.

Bonnie taunts Damon back and Jeremy laughs everything off while telling me to have fun. I feel a twinge of guilt that I haven't told them anything, but I brush it off and decide to deal with the consequences later. As we're walking down the front steps I see Damon reaching in his pocket for his keys. Using my new found speed I reach into his pocket and pluck the keys out, already crossing the lawn to the driver side of the car before he realizes what's happened.

"Noooooo way. Not going to happen; hand back the keys." He crosses in front of the car and holds out his hand but I have no intention of giving them back.

"This was my idea therefore I'm the Captain of this. You don't even know where we're going, how can you drive?" I cross my arms behind my back holding the keys in my hands.

"They've invented this new thing called communication, all you have to do is use words to tell me where it is you are going and I can bring us there. It's astounding you're going to want to see it in action." He makes a grab for the keys but I spin keeping them out of his reach.

"And what happens if I tell you where we're going and you don't like it? Besides one of us has a record for driving the other off into the distance on totally non-mutually agreed road trips." I raise an eyebrow and challenge him to argue that piece of logic.

He swipes out again but I move, and then he sighs in mock exasperation, "This isn't ride-along time with Stefan, I don't let people drive my car."

I momentarily forget the banter going between us and just stare. Well, at least it's clear from that statement that he doesn't know what's happened between me and Stefan. My slightly cheerful mood diminishes a bit at having to recall the events.

"Look I drive or we take the SUV and we leave your car here and I still get to drive. Your choice."

He thinks it over for a minute then throws his hands up before turning to walk around the other side of the car.

"Fine, but you scratch it and you're going to owe me a lot more than a new paint job." He does the intense eye thing in my direction before opening his door and getting in the car, and the last thought I have before getting in is that I'll have to remember that in the future…

…

"Really? A lousy diner, this is where we've been driving to this whole time?"

"Don't be so dramatic it was only 20 minutes. I want the biggest plate of breakfast they have."

Damon smirks as he opens the door and allows me to pass through first. We pick a booth seat in the far corner and ask for coffee as we read over the menu. My eyes immediately find the biggest breakfast they offer, complete with eggs, bacon, toast, waffles, and home fries.

As we're waiting for our coffee I can hear the two waitresses in the back arguing over who is going to take our table. It's pretty empty in here besides a few people sitting up front drinking coffee, and a tall curvy blonde is attempting to force one of the other waitresses to give her the table.

"Come on Cheryl, just because it's in your section doesn't mean anything. Look at that God! I'll even let you have the tip if I can get his number."

I try to supress my annoyance and eye roll as I see Damon smiling while reading his own menu.

"You can't just go around taking other people's tables. Besides look at the lovely girl he's with, you leave the two of them alone."

I can't help but smirk back over the top of my menu at that comment.

The elder waitress, Cheryl, wins the argument and comes out of the back to take our order. After giving my order Damon flashes her a blinding smile, which I'm sure would have caused the younger blonde waitress to faint.

"I'll just share hers."

As she leaves I start to fiddle with my cup of coffee.

"Who said I was going to share?" I ask Damon, attempting to make conversation. I can already feel an odd sort of silence creeping up. I've experienced the feeling before, as a human when I was trying to withhold things and put up a mask of innocence. It's much more difficult now that I can feel several emotions at once.

"I didn't ask. Besides there's no way you can eat that entire thing yourself." He laughs and takes a sip of his coffee.

"I probably could." I continue to play with my cup and after a few seconds I know the silence has started. This is what I've been worried about with all of my friends. Being so caught up in all this emotional drama is affecting my ability to focus on anything else. Sometimes I see the same problem when I'm talking to Caroline and she has the desire to be somewhere else. It's like in her mind she's already making her way over to cheerleading practice and I know if I don't let her go that she won't be fully paying attention. The only difference is that currently the only place I have to go is to retreat into my own head, or my room.

"Are you okay?" I look up and find myself meeting Damon's eyes as he stares intently at me, a look of worry on his face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about Caroline." I don't have the strength to tell him, so I take the more frequent route of avoidance.

"About Caroline? What about her?" He sounds skeptical when he asks, and I try to answer as truthfully as possible, only I admit a few things from my explanation.

"I haven't seen much of her since she got Tyler back, or Bonnie for that matter. It's our senior year I thought we'd be a total team." I shrug in what I hope is a nonchalant way and start to drink my coffee.

"I'm sure the Scooby gang will get back together again, they're probably just enjoying the lack of dangerous life-threatening emergencies."

I nod in agreement, but don't bother adding anymore.

"Speaking of avoidance, are you going to tell me why you and Stefan have been avoiding the Boarding house. Clearly it isn't because of me. You guys find another ball to not enjoy?" There's a note of bitterness in his voice as he asks, and I feel guilty about enjoying myself with him so much that night. Sure, it's difficult for me to be around him like that because I always find myself slipping up and wanting more than I can have. Sometimes I forget that it's worse for Damon.

Well either way that definitely confirms that Stefan hasn't been around and Damon doesn't know. I swallow the lump in my throat that's beginning to form.

"Stefan hasn't been with me." I stare at my coffee willing the cup to open into a door I can jump through. I don't look up at Damon's reaction to that.

"And why is that?" There's a bit of uneasiness in his question but mostly he just sounds confused, so I decide to look up at him when I answer.

"I told him a few days ago that I couldn't be with him anymore. He took it a little _harshly_." Damon's eyes bore into mine, and for a moment I'm not sure he believes me. Different emotions play across his face with a speed I wouldn't have been able to notice if I were human. There's surprise, denial, understanding, and finally a look that worries me. His eyes squint into determination and that incredibly sexy thing he does when he makes an inappropriate joke on purpose, and he starts to smirk to the side of his face.

"And you've been sitting in your room this entire time keeping this all to yourself, haven't you?" He asks while still looking at me like he's thought of a brilliant plan.

"More or less," I answer dejectedly.

"And then you thought that this would be a nice place to go out on a date? Shame on you Elena."

I can't help but let out a rather unattractive snort of laughter as he says that, and I relax a little as I notice that he's back to his old flirty remarks.

"This isn't a date Damon," I smile and take a sip of my coffee again.

"I should hope not because it's horrible. Really, what were you thinking?" He shakes his head at me, still smiling in his usual manner.

"This is an 'I need to get out of the house before I go crazy' outing," I explain as I use my incredible senses to pick out the sound and smell of waffles and bacon which have just finished cooking. I finish the rest of my coffee and I'm relieved that I've finally told someone about my decision. Of course being Damon he isn't likely to argue with it, which is why I think I've told him and not any of my other friends.

"Well if this is an 'I need to get out of the house before I go crazy' date you are still doing it all wrong. You can't forget your troubles by eating through greasy food and driving around all night. You have to do something exciting, and I know just the thing." He uses the word date again and I know he isn't going to stop so I let that drop, but I still argue with the rest.

"I don't want to do anything." It's only partially true, but I'm worried about what he might have in mind.

"It's actually not up for question. I'll be taking my keys back now." He swipes them from the table before I have the chance to grab them back. I won't be arguing now, and if I do it won't work. His look of determination has come back tenfold and he's smiling like he knows the world's biggest secret. It's so nice to see him genuinely happy that I can't help but smile back.

"Maybe my night of distraction could use a little bit more fun than some waffles, but nothing too crazy, promise?"

"Nope," he goes to move out of the booth and I give a small laugh. He pauses and looks over at me, "Are you coming?"

"I was serious about this breakfast thing; I'm at least eating my waffles and bacon first."

With a laugh he sits back down.

…

After an hour long drive we make it to a larger city still bustling with traffic and people heading home late from work. It's only 9 and I can't help but wonder what Damon is planning, as he drives through the streets smiling to himself. Now that I've stopped looking out the windows at the scenery around us I'm able to focus on him. As usual he's wearing his signature black pants, shirt and shoes all topped off with the leather jacket. Of course all of them are incredibly expensive designer brands. I understand why he continually wears this outfit, it fits him perfectly. He looks every inch the dangerous and powerful vampire stalking the dark, and even during the day under the sun he seems to bring a bit of the night with him.

Under those designer clothes lay a lean body that only helped to enhance his lithe appearance. I'm not going to pretend I don't notice it or know it's there. Looking over now I can see the flat chest and stomach under his black shirt that I know is hard and muscular. Of course the darkness and streetlights have highlighted his skin and the pale hands on the steering wheel. He's genuinely smiling now, and it's amazing to see. Dark black raven coloured hair frames his face in a messy arrangement and makes his blue eyes piercing. I can see them now as he stares at the traffic ahead, his eyes flickering back and forth with reflexes faster than a human. His lashes are long and only help to distinguish his eyes…

"Are you going to stare at me all night?" he asks as he turns to lay his eyes on me.

I smile and turn my head forward to look out the windshield but can't help my involuntary blush. As we lapse back into silence I feel a familiar tension start in the air. I'm acutely aware of every action he makes and I can't help but let my mind wander, as it usually does when he's in a small area with me.

"We're here."

I look around as we pull into an empty parking lot with a long building at the back. I have no idea where 'here' is.

"What is this place?" I continue to look around as he parks the car and gets out. There isn't much outside that gives away the building and my curiosity is peaked.

"This is where you learn to be a vampire." He gives a smile as I get out and follow him towards the building.

"What is that supposed to mean?" As we reach the door I find out for myself. Beside the door is a small sign, 'Morgan's Range: Indoor Shooting.'

"What? A shooting range? Are you crazy?" I stop at the door and give Damon a look but he goes in the doors ahead of me without stopping to argue.

I follow him inside in time to catch him compelling a man stationed in front of a desk near the entrance. The main lobby is empty and I don't see any other employees walking around.

"You're going to shut the door and close up early for the night, and then you're going to stay at the front desk and make sure nobody comes in. You won't remember we were here."

I walk around the lobby and look around while he continues his compulsion, which I don't really understand. When he's finally done I step in front of him before he can go any further.

"This is crazy, you know that right?"

He gives me a smirk and then side steps around me, "Come on, have some fun for once. Your reflexes, vision and hand eye co-ordination are now almost perfect and you haven't even bothered to test them out."

I follow him again as he walks onto the shooting range and chooses a booth. After he zips around for a few minutes with a set of keys he returns with some sort of handgun and several boxes of shells. As usual, I'm agitated with his ideas and the fact that he never listens when someone tries to talk him out of it. Then again I suppose he's just as stubborn as I am.

"How is shooting things going to be fun? I've never even held a gun and I didn't really plan on it." I try once again to talk him out of his plan, but the look on his face tells me that I'm not going to be able to convince him.

He takes a paper target of a man and sends it down to the far end of the range until it won't move any farther. Then he loads the gun and puts it in my hand. I can't help but groan in frustration.

"Look just try it and if I'm wrong we'll move onto my next idea."

I roll my eyes but agree and he helps show me how to shoot the gun. I have to admit that I find my mind wandering again as he puts his hands on mind, and most of his lesson is lost as my heart races and I zone out.

"Do I really have to do this?" I ask once again.

"Just try it and get it over with. The quicker you try the quicker we can give up."

I sigh but turn back to the target and raise the gun. I can't help but consider how ridiculous this is and how impossible it will be for me to hit the target, especially so far away. How could he possibly think that this was more interesting than a large greasy breakfast?

I aim as best as I can and fire a shot. It's amazing. Although it's incredibly loud, I can actually see the bullet pierce right through the head of the target at the very end of the range. Because of my farther eye-sight I can follow the bullet most of the way, and I can hear it way down the range as it goes through the paper. It's almost like watching the world in slow motion while focusing on an object.

"Oh my god."

Damon laughs and nods back towards the target again, and I shoot until the bullets run out. When he brings the target back there are groups of little holes all through the head of the target and not a single hole anywhere else.

"I told you that you have better reflexes." He smiles at me and I can't help but feel a smile reach onto my lips.

"I'm going to keep this target as a reminder for you whenever you piss me off, because I'm clearly skilled now." I laugh and fold up the target. I'm not going to totally admit it but he had a point; this was pretty fun and I felt good watching the bullets strike exactly right on the target. I had no idea I was capable of anything of the sort.

"Well come on, we haven't got all night." I turn and find Damon walking out of the range already, and I hurry to follow.

"Where are we going now?" I ask as we pass the front desk and enter back out into the parking lot.

"Shopping."

…

We pull up outside a very expensive looking boutique with designer dresses on silver mannequins displayed in the window. I can't help but gawk in appreciation at what I'm sure could easily be some of the most beautiful dresses I've seen. For a moment I don't even notice that Damon's left the car, but when I do I spring up out of my own door.

"Okay, I can't do this anymore. You have to tell me what your plans are. I hate going around asking you question after question."

He turns and gives me a smirk as he walks up to the doors, "That's funny, I was starting to get annoyed of the repetitive questions as well." After holding the door open for me I shoot him a lock and cross my arms, standing still and not making to move through them. "Ugh, fine. We're going to a very entertaining club, but you aren't exactly in club attire so we're going shopping. Drop the pouty face and get back to having fun. Now let's go try some clothes on."

I pause for a second than smile and walk through the door with Damon following behind me. A short woman with red hair and an amazing taste in clothing comes over to greet us and offers to bring over a collection of dresses in my size to try on. We make our way to the dressing rooms and after pushing Damon out of the small cubicle he followed me into, I try on the first dress. It's a bright orange colour and incredibly stretchy with weird lines, clinging to every spot. I look down and stare at it feeling like a pumpkin or a carrot. I decide to strut my stuff so Damon can have a laugh.

I poke my head around the corner and see him sitting at a bench at the end of the hall.

"Are you going to show me or are you going to play hide and go seek?" he asks and I stick a leg out, but not enough to reveal any of the dress.

"Alright, but you can't laugh." I walk out and do a twirl, he's already laughing before I finish it.

"Next one."

Eventually my parading turns into somewhat of a fashion show and time after time I'm back in the dressing room trying on the next dress. Some are bright neon colours that make me look like a Christmas light bulb. Some are incredibly scantily clad; one actually has horizontal slices all the way down the sides that invokes a look from Damon which immediately makes me turn back to the dressing room. After more than ten different dresses I come across a beautiful bright crimson red dress. As I put it on I know it's a great dress, as it fits like a glove. It's strapless and comes quite a bit above the knee. It has a sweetheart top and I smile as I exit the dressing room, doing another twirl so that Damon can see it.

As I stop I catch his eye and the tension is immediate. He isn't laughing or making mocking comments, rather staring at me with a blank look. I feel a little awkward, but mostly unnerved as I do another spin in the hopes when I face him again he'll have something to say. When I look back he's smiling again.

"Well we definitely have a winner. " The tension continues to radiate through the room and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

This is going to be a long night…


	26. I Want To Bite You

**So I'm a huge doofus, I just noticed that Chapter 19 somehow got replaced by a different chapter and it made NO SENSE at all. I've gone back and put in the correct chapter and I'm sorry if I severely confused anyone with that haha. I believe that in the beginning I had the correct chapter up and it somehow got re-arranged, hopefully not too long ago. Anywho, prepare yourself for some serious Delena! And just as a warning things are about to get very PG…18? 17? I don't know, today's young are so desensitized. Either way what I'm trying to say is things are about to get steamy.**

I can hear the thrumming of music as we walk down a dark narrow hallway filled with people lingering to the sides. I let Damon lead the way since I had already assumed he knew where he was going. He turned when we reached the end of the hallway and a giant steel door.

"You better enjoy yourself tonight. I don't want to see any pouty faces or bored looks." Instead of flashing me a smile and joking about it his face remains serious and his look intense. I feel my heart quicken and before I can find words to respond he turns back and pushes open the door.

I've seen clubs before, it's not as though I had the life of a nun before the Salvatore's came to town, but this was one of the biggest I had ever seen. As soon as the door opens the music becomes infinitely louder and strobe lights flash from every direction in time to the beat of the music, only making it that much more enticing. It's crowded with people, and three stories high judging by the two floors above us that form a kind of walkway around the edges, leaving the centre of the building open all the way up to the ceiling. As Damon disappears into the crowd I reach for him and grab onto his hand, not sure whether I appreciate the fact he's guiding me through the throngs of people or the strength of his hand as his fingers curl into mine and gently pull me forward.

When we reach the bar he smiles at me, "Want a drink?" I wince as I try to listen to him but get an ear-splitting dose of music at the same time. I guess having vampire hearing isn't always a good thing.

He seems to notice my reaction and leans towards the side of my head to talk. "Work on blocking the music out a bit, just focus on conversations around you instead and the music will get quieter."

I nod and listen to the conversation of the two girls beside me. It's difficult but after a few moments the music seems to dim and I can hear them more clearly, which is a great relief.

"Better? Now Ms. Underage, did you want a drink?" Damon's back to laughing at me and I decide that if I'm going to have fun, I might as well start now. Just because I was going to be eternally 18 did not mean that I'd be reliant on other people.

"What'll it cost me?" I ask, shamelessly flirting and giving him a look that could rival one of his own.

"A favour in the future," he replies with a wave of his hand and wiggles his eyebrows up and down.

I smile but shake my head. "No thanks, that's too high a price."

I turn before he can answer and look around the bar. About 6 people down there's a guy standing waiting or the bartender and talking to a group of girls near him. He's pretty attractive, and I can tell that the girls have all flocked to him. I reach down and undo the strap of one of my heels, then purposely stock towards him. When I get there I squeeze in beside him looking around without bothering to look at him at all. I can feel his eyes on me as he sees me and the sound of his speech cuts off a little as he turns to look at me and stops his conversation with the girl next to him. I lift my leg up on the stool beside him so I can retie the strap on my heel, giving him a good view of leg while I'm at it.

As I straighten up and look the opposite way down the bar where I spot Damon watching me intently and I stifle a smile at that.

"Hey, can I buy you a drink?" I turn and find the guy next to me smiling and ignoring the girls who are off to his left.

I can't help but feel a little proud at the fact that I didn't have to compel anyone. "I'd love one." He orders me a drink and asks me my name. Instead of answering I reach across him to one of the girls, pointing at her shoes.

"Wow, I love your shoes, they're beautiful." As I figured the guy turns his head to look down and I can see him running his eyes up and down the girl's legs as she thanks me and tells him which brand they are. I'm pretty sure he doesn't care, and I'm also very sure he's a leg-man. I slip away as they talk and he becomes engrossed in the girls once again.

I walk back to Damon who smiles at me when I get there, and takes a drink from his own glass.

"No compulsion necessary and I don't own you anything." I smile and down my drink.

…

Several, several drinks later and I'm finally starting to catch on to this having fun distraction that Damon insists on preaching. How was I going to feel any better sitting at home wallowing in my self-induced pain. I broke up with Stefan because we weren't on the same page anymore and I didn't want to spend the rest of eternity with him, sulking because I couldn't enjoy a minute of it. Then I continued to sulk about breaking up with him. No more of that, time to move on.

"Another round for us, _please_" Damon leaned over the bar to tell the bartender. I use the word 'tell' instead of ask because he had been compelling him for the last 30 minutes. Apparently bartenders have a habit of cutting people off after an incredible amount of alcohol, even if those people were vampires who were barely tipsy.

I tipped back my shot again and put the empty glass back onto the bar watching Damon do the same, "Ok, so maybe you had a good idea tonight. I'm not going to say it's better than waffles but its pretty fun."

"Is that a challenge?" he asks, and grabs my arm pulling him with him.

It's obvious after a few seconds where he's headed, and I can't help but roll me eyes. I never said I wanted to dance but then again he never asked either. We reach the centre of the dance floor and he spins me around, the music still playing louder than ever. I decide that a little dancing won't hurt anyone and humor him for a while. I dance with the people around me who seem more than happy to include us, and the guy from the bar who bought me a drink finds his way over eventually. After a little while I avoid him and instead look around for Damon.

Instead of finding him I feel him behind me as he puts his hand on my waist, our bodies moving together to the music. My heart starts to race again and I can feel his breath on the back of my neck. I turn around and thread my hands around his neck, looking up into his eyes and seeing that for once his eyes look more silver than blue. He smiles and gives me those bedroom eyes he always uses. I feel a weird feeling wash over me that I don't really understand, like an itching at the back of my neck that makes me nervous but I push it away.

"So, better than waffles?" he whispers as he leans towards my ear and I can feel his breath again, only this time on the side of my face.

As usual the tension between us jumps up before I can even answer back. It's like an electric charge every time he's around and we're physically close. Like flint and tender, or gasoline and matches.

"Much better." I can't even get anything else out, worrying that I'll say something ridiculous. The crowd around us must feel something as well, because now we they've created a gap between us and them.

Damon and I keep dancing, his hands still on my waist where my skin feels like its on fire. I can't seem to take my eyes off of his, as his face remains serious and his eyes a silver colour, only inches from mine. He's so close and I'm still trying to remember why this isn't such a good idea. I know that I didn't want to do this with him so soon, but now that he's here the reasons won't come to me and no longer seem important. He inches closer and I can't stop looking at his lips, I barely notice the dancers around us, only paying attention to him.

"Katherine?"

Everything stops. It's like being doused in cold water. I stop dancing and Damon stops only a split second later, I move my head away and now I'm looking at anything but his lips. Well I guess that's an effective way of being brought back into the present. I look to the left and see a man standing there and I instantly get the sensation again at the back of my neck that feels like nervousness. He's a little taller than Damon and has dark brown hair and green eyes like Stefan, only much sharper and brighter. He's wearing all black as well and I now know that the feeling I have is because he's a vampire and by some stroke of luck I'm able to sense that.

I look back to Damon and he's clearly unhappy by the presence of whoever this guy is, but he doesn't seem to know him. I'm panicking now, trying to figure out if the man is a threat. Either way, I'm supposed to be lying low. Elijah said it was important that I don't let people know I was a vampire now, and I have to admit that finding out all of these doppelvamp traits has only made me more wary. This entire decision making takes me less than 30 seconds, and I just hope I have my Katherine routine down.

"You're kind of interrupting something here." I give the man my best Katherine sexy smirk and turn back towards Damon, hoping he'll catch on.

Damon's eyes stay on me and although he doesn't look happy he stays quiet.

"You're here with Damon Salvatore?" I turn and the vampire is regarding Damon with curiosity and a bit of disdain, but definitely not fear. I can't help but wonder how many men Katherine has led on throughout these years. "I thought Stefan was always your thing? Isn't that why you've been running off into the night with him for the past few weeks?" He raises and eyebrow at me as he asks.

At the mention of this I falter. So that's where Stefan has been going ever since my transition when he disappears. Surprisingly I don't feel upset, I don't think he cheated on me with Katherine, and even if he did I just can't build up any anger at it. I feel Damon still behind me but I compose myself and push on.

"You know my 'things' are whatever I feel at the moment, and tonight it's Damon. So why don't you make yourself scarce," I sneer at him, even though I know I'm pushing limits here; but so would Katherine.

The vampire's eyebrows shoot up and he looks me over again. For a minute I think it might work, but then he takes a step forward his hand coming up to catch a lock of my hair. I can hear Damon move behind me and I pray that he has enough faith to stay still for a few more seconds.

"Or maybe I stay and he leaves and then we enjoy the rest of our evening." The vampire continues to twirl a lock of my hair as he suggests this with a look back at Damon.

It's funny to say, but in that moment I channelled my inner Katherine. I was immediately pissed, even if he thought I was Katherine I had said that I was with Damon tonight; what right did he have to push me? If I had been Katherine there's no way I would put up with that. I ran my own show.

I bring my hand up as fast as I can and clamp down on his arm, using all of the strength I had to hold on to it and dig my fingers in. Since I've developed a strength past my years there was a good chance he would believe I was Katherine, even if he thought I wasn't exerting all my strength. I take a breath to gain my composure before I put on a smile and answer him.

"I'm going to enjoy the evening as I see fit. But the next time you're around we'll enjoy it together." I purr out the words and feel a little disgusted at myself while I give my best flirting smile and let go of his arm.

For a second he takes in my demeanor then gives me a smile, gives Damon a sour look, and walks away. I watch his retreating back navigate through the crowd and I continue to feel the nervous itch. Damon puts his hand on my arm but I turn and put my finger to my lips to stop him before he starts. I pull him off to the side of the dance floor, since there's a crowd of people who just witnessed our confrontation. Besides I had a feeling the dancing would be over for the night. After a little while the itching feeling goes away and I can feel myself calming down.

"Okay, he's gone." I lean up against the wall and close my eyes for a second, happy that everything went well.

"You know that how?" Damon gives me a skeptical look and I can't blame him.

"I can sense when there's a vampire around. I'm not sure of the specifics because it's never happened around those I know, but when that guy entered the room I got this creepy weird feeling and it didn't go away until he was out of here," I explain and hoped this was a good enough explanation.

He gives me a look that I don't really understand and shakes his head. "You know you're really good at that Katherine act. Guess we should be thankful for that." The bitterness of his tone and his expression are quickly gone in a dazzling smile, but I know they were there.

I put my hands around his neck and get him to look at me, "That will be the last time I'm stuck playing Katherine. How about we get out of here before some other creepy vampire from her past comes along, I'm sure there are many."

My attempt to joke doesn't even reach him, and his expression stays the same. He's looking past me like I'm not even there and I have no idea what he's thinking about. I stop myself from giving him an eye roll, instead I reach up on my tippy toes and give him a quick kiss on the lips.

I settle back down and look up at the expression on his face, which has changed from intensely distance to intensely staring at me. Before I can ask, his hands come up to cup my face between them and his lips come down onto mine. Unlike my kiss this isn't quick and innocent. He pushes me up against the wall behind me and deepens it, his tongue battling for entrance as I part my lips and let him. I put my hands on his hard chest and feel my way down it and around his waist. His lips are soft and he presses his body up against mine pushing me farther into the wall. My heart is beating out of my chest and I feel light headed as though I haven't taken a breath in a while.

Through all of the feelings of light headedness, soft lips, strong hands, and his lean body on mine I feel something else as well. My gums are giving a dull ache and I can feel my teeth just below the surface ready to extend. I try to will them away but it's too overwhelming, I feel them shoot out and I immediately back up, pushing Damon away at the same time. I keep my head down in case the veins are on my face, not wanting anyone around to notice.

"Elena?" Damon's concerned voice comes from above me and I guess that he didn't feel what was happening then.

I take a few breaths and feel my face, the veins are gone but surprisingly I can still feel my teeth out, which I didn't know could happen. "I think we should probably get out of here." I'm still hiding behind my curtain of hair.

"Are you okay? Uh, is this about the Stefan and Katherine thing," he asks hesitantly and I lift my head to give him a little smile and laugh.

"No I don't care about that. It's just that for some reason I don't think people will be cool with me wearing these fangs in April. It isn't exactly Halloween." I joke about it, but at the same time feel self-conscious.

Now that Damon see's what's wrong he gives me a smirk, laughs and grabs my hand pulling me along with him once again. I keep my mouth shut until we reach the car and as Damon drives I close my eyes and relax. After a few calming breaths my teeth retract leaving a hollow feeling where they were. I keep my eyes closed and raise an eyebrow, I can tell Damon's staring at me.

"You gunna stare at me all night?" I can hear him laugh behind my closed eyes.

A short time later the muscle car comes to a stop and I can hear Damon take the keys out. I open my eyes, surprised by our surroundings. I thought we were heading back to Mystic Falls, but I have to admit that I wasn't looking forward to the prospect. So far I had actually been enjoying myself immensely and aside from Katherine's odd choice in men I was having fun. When I opened my eyes and saw that Damon had simply driven us further into the city, to an incredibly tall and stylish hotel, I wasn't at all surprised. I had to repress laughter as I thought about his spontaneity and cocky personality, which had always been present from the first time I met him.

"You might want to grab your other clothes, unless you want to go home in that dress tomorrow." With a wiggle of an eyebrow he closes his door.

Considering that for a moment I grab my jeans, shirt and jacket from the backseat to bring with me. When we enter the hotel lobby it's obvious that this is one of the nicer places in the city. Damon compels the front desk attendant to give us the penthouse suite, which prompts me to silently debate the pros and cons of compelling people. Sure it was easy and it got you all the perks, but how fair was it to the people having it inflicted upon them. They could be fired for letting us get away with half of the things Damon compelled them to do. I continued my silent debate as we got in the elevator and made our way up to the room.

When we finally got there I had to drop my moral debate, because the place was amazing. It had a huge balcony looming over most of the city, with large glass windows covering one entire wall. There was a kitchenette area, a living room, a dining room table, a huge bathroom with a walk in shower that looked like a hallway, and of course – only one bedroom, with only one bed. Typical Damon.

After my speedy tour of the place with its vaulted ceilings and beige marble floors I found my way back to the living room where Damon was pouring himself a drink. I had to admit that clearly compelling people did have its advantages. "This place is huge."

Without another word he rushes over to me and pushes me back up against the wall. His mouth finds mine quickly and I have to stop myself from getting caught up. Unfortunately, I was going to have to say something first that would probably ruin the mood.

I push at him a bit so that he's a few inches away, "Wait."

He pauses and I use a few brief seconds to regret the fact that I was going to have this conversation now. "I didn't dump Stefan to come running to you."

He backs up a whole space and gets a stony cold look on his face. I immediately regret trying to do this now because although my brain is in the right place my mouth is clearly taking its sweet time to catch up.

"Well that's good to know." He turns back to the couch and sits, grabbing his drink off the table, I can see the anger and deadened look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, that's not what I meant, and I said it wrong." I shake my own head and consider the possibility of time travel before continuing on with my stupid idea. I make my way over to the couch and sit beside him as he takes large drinks and doesn't look directly at me.

"For some stupid reason I had the idea that it was important to tell you this first, and now I clearly regret it but that doesn't change the fact that I should say it." I stop and take a breath before continuing, seeing that although his eyes are still glassy he does seem to be paying attention now. "What I meant is that I didn't dump Stefan to come back to you as some second choice and I think it's important that you know that. I broke up with Stefan because I'm not in love with him like that anymore and it would be stupid to sit there and fake a smile for all of eternity. I've known that for a while I just didn't know what to do about it."

He takes another drink and I remain quiet as he sits and thinks. Finally he breaks the silence, "I guess that isn't a horrible reason for stopping mid-kiss." I laugh at that with him, but he continues with a serious face, "When did you figure it out?"

For a second I have to think about it myself. I won't lie to him, so I owe it to him to figure out the right answer. "When he left I knew it would never be the same again, even though I tried to tell myself it could be. I changed, and in the end I didn't want to go back to who I had been before. I didn't realize it then though; I think it took turning into a vampire with eternity in front of me to realize what had been sitting there in front of me the entire time. I never wanted to be a vampire because I couldn't see myself spending that time with him. In hindsight though I should have figured it out a long time ago - if our love was so epic and everlasting I wouldn't have felt something for you from the beginning."

There was a silence for a while as these words sank in, for both of us. Of course it was my inability to figure anything out that had led down this road, but looking back I guess I wouldn't change anything because it would ruin so many good things that had developed along the way. I don't think Damon would have changed if I had been with him from the start, he wouldn't have developed a civil relationship with his brother, who knows if we would have been able to pull of half the stunts we did, who knows if anyone would have had the strength to stop Stefan when Klaus took him.

"Think of all the entertaining adventures we would have missed though; all the death plots." He gives me a small smile and I know he's thinking the same things I am, but then mention of death has prompted another idea.

"And there's still something else I need to apologize for," I whisper as I realize that this apology should have come a while ago. This was the worst act of all and I can already feel my emotions start to swirl and become overwhelming as I think about it. I had mentioned it before when I asked him why he didn't hate me, but I hadn't really apologized.

"What?" he asks, with a curious look.

"I don't even know how to say sorry for it. I did it because I was weak and it was an easy out which is ridiculous and I'll have to live with that for the rest of my life." I could feel the tears starting already, so I turned my head a bit to the side and sat back on the couch hoping he would continue to stare ahead. "I'm sorry I left you to die alone."

"Elena, we don't have to talk about this again I told you I don't hate you for it." He grabs my shoulder and attempts to get me to look at him but I just can't.

"No, I do have to talk about it again and you should hate me. You made me one promise that you would never leave me. I couldn't even help you keep that promise when you might die. Stefan had all of our friends with him, he wouldn't have been alone. Yet I came up with some crap excuse and went to him because it was easier than facing you, watching you die again."

Damon still reaches for my shoulders and I give up my attempts to resist and let him turn my head. He's got no mask of indifference or humour on now, and once again I'm seeing the Damon that's been hidden to almost everyone.

With a pained expression he uses his thumbs to wipe my tears. "I can't hate you Elena, and I forgive you. You had the possibility of several important people in your life dying all at once, don't be so hard on yourself. I got a deathbed visit once remember? You told me that you liked me as I was now and you convinced me that sticking around here wasn't a waste of my time. That it wasn't about torturing Stefan any longer, there were other things out there after more than 150 years' worth of looking. And you forgave me for everything I had done to you, which believe me was much worse than leaving you to sit for a few hours at a storage facility. So I'm choosing to forgive you and I'm asking you to accept that."

The tears finally stopped, and I attempted a small smile at him. I really have no idea what I did in a previous life to deserve this man. Thankfully, this life was going to long enough to enjoy the consequences.

"Of course, if you want to spend the rest of your life making it up to me that's just fine too," and with that he kissed me again.

This time it was slow, enjoying every minute of it. This was what it was like to kiss each other without guilt, without worrying about what would happen afterwards. There were no extra worries here, only Damon and I. His hands wrap around my waist again but this time he pushes me back toward the other side of the couch as we lie down, any conversation we were going to have completely flying out the window.

He abandons my mouth to run a line of kisses with his soft lips directly down my throat. I can feel my gums start to ache again but I make no attempt to stop them this time as my teeth descend. His lips come back up my throat and I give a groan as he kisses back across my jawline. Unable to take it any longer I put my hands on either side of his face and find his mouth myself, careful to avoid my fangs. With one hand under my back the other lays on my hip, our kisses are no longer slow but urgent and once again I'm feeling out of breath.

I can't take the uncomfortably small couch any longer. Using my very handy strength and speed I launch him off me and get up to meet him again, pushing him against one of the walls of the living room, barely breaking our kissing. I run my hands up behind his jacket and I can feel the hardness of the muscles that lie beneath his shirt. I push my hands up higher and peel the top of his jacket away, pulling it down his arms until it falls.

For a second we stop kissing and Damon looks down at me, his blue eyes burning holes in my vision. This is the point of no return. However far we may have gone before, none of it compares to this. There are no excuses anymore and no obstacles. Just the thought of it makes me smile and in a second Damon spins me around to pin me against the wall as we start kissing again. I kick off my heels and find myself several inches shorter. We speed to the bedroom without breaking our kiss once and I can feel the bed behind my legs as we back up. I take off his shirt next and I can hear my breath hitch as I look down at him shirtless. I've seen him like this plenty of times, but it takes on a whole new meaning when that chest is mine to touch. I run my hands along his stomach appreciating the muscles and smooth skin under my fingers all the way until I reach the top of his pants and he groans into my mouth as we kiss.

I hear the sound of the zipper on my dress and before I can blink I'm pinned onto the bed by Damon, no longer wearing it. I shove the covers off to the side and trail kisses down his neck as he gets under them with me, reaching behind me to undo my bra. I pull off my underwear and he kisses down my neck, over my breasts until he reaches just below my belly button. I gasp and close my eyes as he slowly works his way back up.

I reach down and unzip his pants, silently delighting in the fact that he isn't wearing anything underneath of them. I pull them off and before I can revel in the sight of him fully naked he's thrusting inside of me. I moan his name as he pushes faster, my fingernails already digging into his back, and I kiss the pale skin of his neck as he kisses mine. I scrape my fangs along his neck, being careful not to draw any blood, although I want to. He groans again and thrusts harder as his grip on me tightens and I feel myself starting to let go.

I'm staring at his throat again and my teeth are aching, "I want to bite you," I whisper into his ear and before he even manages to breath out 'yes' I sink my fangs into his throat. His blood tastes ten times stronger than the first time I drank human blood. It flows over my tongue and down my throat with a thick rich taste, and for a moment I forget everything else. Then I'm falling over the edge as my back arcs and I sink my teeth in deeper as we both finish at the same time, Damon calling my name.

Even as we fall against the bed, feeling light headed and amazing, I can taste his blood on my lips and tongue. It's dripped all over my chest and his shoulder, and I check to make sure my bite mark is healing and not too bad. Damon smiles at me as I drape an arm over his chest.

"If that's how you plan on making it up to me, you can leave me to my death whenever you want."

**[On that note I just wanted to put this here to ask any of you if you've read the newest Vampire Diaries book that just came out and if you absolutely hated it as much as I did. Any book ending in Damon leaving is a book not worth reading! Hope you guys are getting your share of Delena through fanfiction and review if you wanna!]**


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